A1r
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Sermons
of Barnardine Ochyne,

(to the number
of 25) concerning the predestination
and election of god: very
expedient to the setting forth of his glory
among his creatures. Translated out
of Italian into our native
tongue, by A.C

“It is good to hyde the Kings secrets,
but to declare and prayse the workes
of god, it is an honorable thing.”
To. xii
“I wyll say to the North, let go & to the South,
keepe not backe: but bryng my Sonnes & my
Daughters from the endes of the world, namely
all those that be called after my name. For thēthem
have I created, fashyoned, and made for mine
honor.”
Esa. xliiii.

Printed by John Day, dwelling
over Aldergate beneath S. Martins.

A1v W R
Thomas
A2r [Table of contents omitted] A3r

To the Christian
Reader.

Wen these translated Sermons of
the famous Barnardine were come
to myne hande, gentyll Reader, I
thought it mete to publish them to
the ende so godly Apostolyke doctryne
shold not be private to those
onely which understand the Italian toung, synce thorow
the honest travel of a wel occupyed gentelwoman,
and verteouse mayden they speake in Englysh: whose
shamfastnes would rather have support them, had not
I to whose hands they were commytted halfe against
hir will put them fourth, bidding them blush that deserve
blame: for this of hir part I dare safely affirme,
craveth perpetuall prayse, and if any prety pryckmydantes
shall happen to spy a mote in this godly labour
(as I dought not but the nisytsst wil) seeing it is meeter
for docters of divinitie to meddle with such matters
then maydens, let them remember how womanly
they wash theyr tyme, the one part in pricking & trymming
to vayne hethenaysh ostentacion, and in devysing
new fashions of apparell, to whome if in their glasse
appeared the foule fautes of their filthy condicions as
plainely as the defautes of theyr foresayde faces, I
doubt much whether they would delight to toote therin
so often as they doe: the other parte speaking in
prynt lyke Parats & with solemne countenaunces, debate
matters of importaunce, and grave weight, as
though the ordre of Realmes appertained to them, or
els warbling words of Scripture in all their doings, A.iii. De A3v
deface the thing they most bable of. But I require the
(Christian Reader) with judgement to reade, and in
the equall balaunce of Scripture to way these learned
and Godly Sermons, whych thou shalt finde (I doubt
not) of just weyght with the sacred word of God: I forbare
to prayse them, lest I should say to lytle, defend
them I nede not the authour livinge and here amongest
us: a man whose lyfe wythout wordes were a sufficiente
protection to his worke. It ought be erred in
the translacion, remember it is a womans yea, a Gentyl
womans, who commenly are wonted to lyve
Delly, a maydens that never gaddid
farder them hir fathers house to
learne the languege. Fare wel
and use hyr labor to the
amendement of
thy life.

G.B.

A4r

To the Right
worshypful and worthily beloved
Mother, the Lady. F. hyr humble
Daughter wysheth encrease
of spirituall knowledge,
with full fruiciōon
of the fruites
thereof.

Since the Drigynall of
what so ever is, or
may be connercted to any
good use in me, hath
frelie proceded (thoughe as the
minister of God) of your Ladishipes
mere carefull, and Motherly
goodnes, as well in procuringe
all thynges thereunto belonginge,
as in your many, and
most Godly exhortacions, wherein
amonge the rest it hath, pleased
you, oftēen, to reprove my vayne
studye in the Italian tonge, accomptingA.iiij. compting A4v
the sede thereof, to have
bene sowen in barayne, unfruitful
grounde (syns God thereby is no
whit magnified) I have at the
last perceived it my duty to prove
how muche the understandynge
of your wyll, could worcke in me
towardes the accomplyshinge of
the same. And for that I have wel
knowen your chyfe delight, to rest
in the destroying of man hys glorie,
and exaltinge wholy the glory
of God: which may not be unles
we acknowledge that he, doth
fore see and determyne from wyth
out beginninge, al thinges, and
cannot alter or rewarde after our
deserved worckes, but remayne
stedefaste, accordinge to his immutable
wyll, I have taken in
hande to dedicate unto your Ladyship
this smale number of Sermons
(for the excelēent fruit sake in
thēem conteined, proceding from the happy A5r
happy spirit of the sanctified Barnardyne,
which treat of election
and predestinacion of God, wyth
the rest (although not of the selfe
title) a perteyning to the same effect
to the end it might appere, that your
so many worthy sentences touching
the same, have not utterly ben
without some note in my weake memory,
& al be it, they be not done in
such perfectiōon, as the dignitie of the
matter doth requyre: yet I trust &
know, ye wil accept the hūumble wil of
the presēenter, not weghing so much
the excelency of the translacion, al
thoughe of ryghte it oughte to be
such as should not by the grosnes
therof deprive the aucthor of his
worthines. But not meanynge to
take upōon me the reache, to his hygh
style of thealogie, and fearing also,
least in enterprisyng to sette
forth the bryghtnes of hys eloquence,
I shuld manyfest my selfe A.v. vnapte, A5v
unapte, to attaine unto the lowest
degre therof. I descend therefore,
to the understāanding of myne own
debilitie. Only requiring, that it
may please your Ladyshippe to
vouchsafe that thys my smal labor
may be alowed at your handes
under whose proteccion only
it is commited wyth humble reverence,
as yelding some
parte of the fruite of
your Motherly admonicions,
in
this my willinge
service.

Your Ladishippes Daughter
most boundenly obedient.

A.C.

A6r

Whether predestinacion
oughte to be written, spoken,
or thought: the fyrst
Sermon.

Ther are many that wold
not here predestinacion
spoken of, nor once named,
and if they might
let it, it shuld never be
preached, and that is because
it semeth thēem to give offence, and
ingender confusion amonge the people.

I cannot denye, that many curiouse
persons with theyr darcke natural light
(willing to see thinges supernaturall
that cannot be sene but by fayth) do fall
into thousandes of errours, and cause
others to fall into the like. All that they
may imagine by force of wyt, pleasynge
to theyr owne corrupt reason (of the highe
secrete) they thincke it to be true, without
other testimony of holy Scripture.
And ther by have intāangled their brayns
darkened theyr mindes, and offended
theyr cōonsciences. Curiositie is an unsaciablesacy- A6v
beast, it would pearce thorowe
all thynges and yet cāannot get out of his
darke & intricate laborinthes, nor once
loft by the heade to divyne secrettes.
And if we suffer our selves to be guided
of it (in thinges especially supernaturall)
neyther wyll it at any tyme be satisfied,
nor we shall never perceyve the trueth.
For immediatlye after it passeth the borders
of the naturall lyghte, it goeth alwayes
blynded and at adventure. Therfore
it must be put a syde & (bringynge
hys unsaciable wyl to an ende) walke
by fayth to devyne secrettes honoring
thēem wythout further dyscussion. And if
we be provoked to serch them out by the
wantonnes of humayn wyt: we ought to
remember that which is written: “He that
searcheth the majestie of God, shal be overcome
with the glorye thereof.” Prov. 15
It is our
offyce, to be cōontēent, with as much as God
hath vouchsafed to open unto us in the
sacred Scripturs, in the which, he hath
geven us lyght sufficyenly. But note,
that as it is evll to be curiouse in willyng
to knowe more then that which in
the scripture is conteyned, and to us reveled,ueled, A7r
so is it also evell, to be ignoraunt
and not to seeke to understand as much
as therin is: for that in thēem speaketh the
holy ghost who gyveth none offence but
edifieth. In them is writen nothing pernicious,
unprofitable, or vayne, but only
commodious & necessary. Neyther ought
it to offende any man, when it is spoken
of, in the maner that Paule speaketh of
it. And we neither may nor ought to be Gala. 11
more circumspect in speaking therof thēen
Paule, ye then God, that speake in him.
Thinckest thou haplye that Paule (yea
rather Christe that lyved in him, and
moved him to write) did erre in that he
wrote of it in suche sort, as he did? The
holy ghost would never have gyven understandinge
therof in the holy Scripture,
if it had bene evell. Thou wilt say,
the preachinge of it in such maner as
Paule writeth: giveth offence, as it is
evidente. I answere that Christ crucified,
was an offence to the Hebrues: therfore 1. Cor. 1
the Apostles did evell to preache it. The
gospell semed folishnes to that wyse of the
world: And therefore it shoulde not be
taughte: The trueth is displeasaunt to the A7v
the false Christians, they finde offence
of the Gospell, & Justificacion by Christ,
shoulde it then be kepte in silence?
Wherfore wilt thou that we holde our
peace of that thing which Paule writteth?
How can the wordes of the holy Ghost
offend, that have bene pronounced and
written onely for our salvacion? If
thou be offended therwith, it is not because
it giveth thee occacion, but for that
thou takest it without any gift. Neyther
ought they thereof to ceasse, more thēen the
Apostles left preaching, though many
were offendid therwith. Thou wilt
saye, to preache the Gospel is necessarie.
Wherfore that ought not to be left for
offence: and I say that predestinacion
is a great part of the Gospell. Wouldest
thou not thinke this a goodlie Gospell or
glad tidinges, that God from without
beginning, had by his mere grace, and
by Christ crucified, elected us to be his
children, and that we be suer in his handes?
It is a thing moste necessarie, to
preache those good newes, in the which
ther is discovered unto us the exceading
goodnes of God, that above all other thinges A8r
thinges doeth move us to be ennamored
of him. And he that is offended with predestination,
preached in the maner it
ought to be, is also offended with the gospell.
Knowest thou (that which in deede
doth hurt, although it appeare not to the
blinde and frantike worlde) that any
man preacheth it after the humaine doctrine?
But it maye be thou wilt saye,
let us come therfore to the particulars.
Doeth it not seme to the offence, to preach
that God hath electe some and not other
some? He that hereth these wordes, will
thincke God to be parciall. I answere
and first I say, that God cannot erre:
nor will other wise then justly: Yea his
will is so right, that as he alway willeth
any thing, it is evēen by that willinge
most just. Therefore none should be offended
with his works, for as much as
he maye dispose us after his owne way,
and shewe his pleasure upōon us more thēen
the potter upon his pottes: and all with
justice and equite. For what bond hath
God with us? Moreover, by the sinnes
of Adam wee are all lost, and he might Rom. 7
justly damme us all, but he saveth as manye A8v
manye as him pleaseth: and yet we complayne,
where we are not worthy by
suffering all punishmente to set furthe
the brightnes of his glorie. Yea it ought
to be preached that God hath elected
some, and not other some: for to smite to
the earth the wisdome of man, and to
make him all humble & subjecte to God.
Now is it not necessary to bee knowen Rom. 3
that we shall not all be saved, and that
many shalbe damned? And consequently
God hath many electe and many rejected.
Thou wouldest saye, this shoulde
give no occaciōon of offēence, if it were preached,
that those that he hath chosen, are
chosen for their merites, & those he hath
forsaken, are forsakēen for theyr wickednes
but they say that those he hath elect,
are elected by his meere grace, without
workes, and that oure election and salvacion
dependeth wholly upōon God. And
this giveth the offence to the world, I
answere. If this be offence, Paule hath Ephe. 1. Rom. 9
given it him selfe, because it is the doctrine
of him, ye rather of the holy ghost.
Wilt thou be offendid, if Paule magnifie Rom. 8 Ephe. 1
the free mercy, seeing god hath elected vs to B1r
us to the laud of his glory, as he writteth:
We cannot magnify it sufficiently. But
thou fearest it should be lauded & exalted
to much. If it were told the thou were
elected by thy workes, thēen would I thou
shuldest be offēended, for that it would make
the beleve thy salvaciōon, to depend upon
thy selfe, wherby thou shouldest be begiled.
For of thy selfe cōommeth thy damnacion, Ose, 13
& of God thy salvacion. Yea as oftēen
as thou thinckest thy salvacion in any
part to depend upon thy selfe, it dryveth
the, eyther to dispaire or to be exallted in
presumpcion. And in such case thou cannest
never put in God all thy hope, nor
al thy love, neither have perfect quietnes
of mynd, nor of conscience. Thou wouldest
say, that who so knoweth that God
above is resolved upōon al thinges: waxeth
cold in wel doyng, and sayth, what neede
I more to travayle, God hath immutably
determined & resolved all that is to be,
I may passe my time in pleasure, for if
I be elect I shal every way be saved. And
if I be reprobate, I cannot save my self,
though I never ceased to-are it, on my
bare knees. Thou perceyvest not, that B.i. he B1v
he which sayeth so, doth discover him self
shewinge that he never dyd good works,
& yet he would his salvaciōon should depēend
upōon him selfe. This sort of mēen, if they do
any good (as they call it) it is to wyn heaven,
and not for that glory of God. Therefore
if they should beleve that theyr salvaciōon
& election did not come of thēem selves
(as men that were not monid with the
zeale of the honor of God) they would
dwell in Idlenes, yea, give theim selves
to live licenciously, and ungodly, without
respect of the dishonour of God, they are
fearefull Servantes and hirelings, and
not sonnes of God, they serve theim selves
and not God, and theym selves they
worship. The elect do never be come
cold, but are the more fervēent, by hearinge
that their election and salvaciōon is onely
in the hands of god, they know by fayth,
that the lorde lovith theim so much (specially
since Christ hath dyed for theym
on the crosse) that they are suer of theyr
salvacion. Yea they feale so much the
goodnes of God in Christe, & by Christ
that if it weare possible (whyle that spirituall
feling did remayne in them) that they B2r
they could beleve them selves to be reprobate 1. Re. 28.
(for as much as by this, God is no
lesse good) they would not any thyng the
lesse love him, or travayle to honor him,
even as Saule cessed not most coragiously
to fyght for the glory of God, although it
was foretould him of hys death. The
elect understāand in spirit that they are the
children of God. Wherfore they are forced
by strength of love & learne to have Hebru. 12
condicions convenient to theyr so hye estate:
& are also ashamed to do a wicked
worke, not semely or setting to the bewty
of their dignitie. And so much more thēen the
other, do they fear to sinne, by how much
more they know that god doeth in this present
lyfe, punishe his legitimate childrēen,
more thēen the basterdes. If &an astrologier
should tell an ambycious man that he
should be pope, although he did put undouted
trust there in, yet for all that he
would not be Idell, but would set furth
him selfe by all meanes possible to come
to that dignitie. Evēen so the sonnes of god, the
suerer they are of their eleccion so much
the more they understand the greate goodnes
of God. They are alwayes forced B.ij. ther- B2v
therfore, more & more by good works, to
make certeine to thēem selves the knowledge
of theyr election. Every one wyl travayle 2. Pet. 1
for the thinges of the world. There
is none that sayeth I will be Idle, or I
will not eate, for alwayes I shall live, &
be rich & happy in the thinges of the world,
if God have foresene and determined it?
Only in those thinges perteyning to the
soule, predestinaciōon hindreth thēem by making
it a shilde to their wicked life. But
know thou that those which of such a benefit
take occasiōon to become worse, (though
already with theyr hart they did the same
thinges and wold have done it in worke
if they had thought thēem sure of theyr salvacion)
shew thēem selves to be reprobate,
& not to feele in Christ the great goodnes 2. Cor. 11
of God. Sathan is he that being transformed
into the similitude of an Aungel
of light, travayleth to perswad that our
election dependeth upon us. This was
the opiniōon of Pelagius: & the Pelagians
are they that be offended with this great
mercy of God: they thinke that God neyther
may, can, or will do other then reason.
Then of force muste it be good to be preached, B3r
preached, to the end it may be knowēen, that
the time is already come of the covenaunt
& promised peace that he which hath eares Esa. 55 Mat. 13
to understand, may understand, as have
that shepe of christ that heare their pastour.
It is also good to be spoken of, to the end
that that be not hyd but declared, which
(by the will of God & for oure profite) is John. 10
written therof in holy scripture: &, that
the speciall cure that god hath of us, may
be knowen, & how we shuld serve him
frely as childrēen, and not as timerous servauntes
and hirelinges. Yea and that it
may be understand, that God (being absolutelie
the Lord) may do all that he wills
& what he willeth is just, and to the end
also, that in our election may be discovered
to us, in superabundant maner, his
free mercy, and that it may be sene how
we are prevented by innumerable bent
sites, and also the man may know that
he is only vanitie, & ever an unprofitale Psal. 38
servaunt. Paradise is litle worth if
with our workes wee could wyn it but
it is the inheritaunce of sonnes, & not a
reward for servauntes. I wold know
what men wold say, if God shuld say to B.iij. them: B3v
them: chuse whether ye wil stand to my
election & the which I have determined
of you, or that I disanulling (if this wer
possible) all that I have purposed to do with
you, shuld resolve me holy to put it in
you. And to save you if ye do good works
& perseevr in thēem, & if you do that contrary
to dāamme you. I am sure thēen men shuld
know their owne frailtie, ignoraunce &
malice. And on the other partie the exceding
boūunty of god, & remit it holy to him
again, and much more if they loved him,
for the greater glory to god, yea & also for
their own proper cōommoditie, for it shuld
never be done, if it depēended upōon thēem selvs.
And therfore for everi respect, every one
shuld stand to gods determinacion, if it
were for nothing but to do honour to him.
It is a thing more magnificent, & to god
more cōonvenient, to geve paradice by fre
merciemercie, thēen if he shuld sel it: his liberalitie
is therby most discovered. Then, for
his greater glory I would alwaies say,
god hath gevēen me this. And also for my
own cōommoditie, that wheras now I hold
my salvaciōon sure (for that I know it hāangeth
only upōon God) I wold thinke me dāamned, or at B4r
or at the least presuming on my self, stand
in doubt, if in the least point it did depēend
upōon me, bycause God inconmparably doth
love me more thēen I cāan do my self. Yea, I
am the greatest enemy & traitor to my self
that may be. Therfore mēen ought by every
cōonsideratiōon to cōontent thēem that their salvaciōon
doth stand in the hāand of god: yea in taking
the whole cure of us, he hath shewed us
most dere love, he hath willed us to be
sure of it. And therefore he would not
truste to us, knowinge wee are so unperfect,
that if we had paradise in our hāands,
we should let it fal to therth where now
we are sure knowing that al our sinnes
can not let the divine eleccion, neither
quench or diminishe the divine charitie.
Yea, hereof our sinnes toke occasiōon to be Rom. 5.
shewed with excesse of more love. We
are not by this invited to more Idlenes,
nor to watche whēen we shal have Manna
from heaven, neyther to be wickedly occupied,
but we are drawen and moved
so much more to love him, as he is discovered
to us by more bountie & charitie.
ButBut those that are not by Christe regenerate,
are of so base & vile a mind through B.iiij. sinne, B4v
sinne, that they can not thinke God to
be so liberal as to geve heaven without
our workes. But they ought at the least
to thinke, that to bye it the bloud of Christ
is sufficient without adjoyninge therto
their workes to boote: which surely are
rich juels to be mingled with his. God
is so frāanke, that he hath gevēen us Christ, Rom. 8
and in him al thinges, and canst not thou
thinke he hath geven the heaven? It is
also our greater glorie, that God hath loved
us somuche, that his owne selfe hath
willed to take the care and charge of
our salvaciōon. And so to that end hath willed
his only sonne to die upon the crosse,
so that if with al our travaille we might
enter into heaven by our selves: the glorie
only of the crosse is a far greater glory
then any other which by our selves
we could attayne. Yea, there is no other
trew glory, then to glorie to be so much
loved of God, that he hath to save us, put
his sonne upon the crosse. He may not
dwel in his owne love, that willeth to be
happy, & only glory in God. If we might
glory of our selves, we should have wher
of to waxe proude and prefer our selves afore B5r
afore oure brethern, where otherwise
we shold have occasiōon to be humble, and 1. Tim. 1
geve to God all honoure and glory as to
him it apperteyneth. And further such
as beleve them selves to be by grace
elected, saved sonnes of god, heyres and
sure therof, not only because ther remayneth
no more to get (God in Christ having
geven them all) but also by the great
understanding they have of the goodnes
of the Lord: they are constrayned to worke
as children for the glory of theyr father,
and not for their owne gaine, and
so also sure of their salvaciōon, with christ
they turne them with al their force, to
seke the salvacion of their brother: they
demaūund also grace with a bolder spirite
and confidence, sence they are it not
for their owne lucre, but for the honor Ephe. 1. Rom. 6 Psal. 31 Rom. 4 Gala. 3 2. Cor. 3 Joh. 3
of God, and to his laude and glory: so that
in the worldes to come, may be sene the aboundāant
riches of his free mercy. Moreover
such hope to be hard for that they think
not to deserve grace, neither put their
trust in their owne workes, but in the
goodnes of God, being inspired & moved
ther to by the holy gost. Suche also as feele B.v. that B5v
that our salvacion dependeth not upon us,
but our damnacion, and that it standeth
wholye in the hand of God: are forced to
turne their backes to them selves, and
theyr faces to God: Where as the contrary
belefe, wold make the cōontrary operacion,
they would withdraw them frōom
God, and seke to reste with hope in thēem
selves: also if God had elected us with
this condicion: If we wold do well, we
should be under the lawe contrary to Paul,
neyther we should be saved, for the law
saveth not but worketh wrath, and is
the minister of cursing and damnacion.
Let him therfore that lusteth have christ
for his judge, for I wyl none of him, but
as a saviour. If our elecciōon by fre mercy
dyd harme us, he wold not then have
elected us so. But note them that thinke
to have theyr eleccion in their owne
handes, & thou shalt se that their owne
love and trust, presumtuous, and full of
vyce: and yet for all thys they be so blynd
and arrogant, that they will have heavēen
by justice.

But let us praye to the Lorde that he
give them knowledge to the ende they may B6r
may render to God all laude, honour,
and glorye, through our Lorde
Jesu Christ.

Amen.

How excellent our
eleccion is, the seconde
Sermon.

Paul magnifieth our eleccion,
fyrst in his behalfe
that hath elected us, sayinge:
“Wee are elected neyther
by man nor Aungell,
but by God”
: Hyer can not he go. Then
concerning him that elected us, oure eleccion
is most excellent. And lykewyse
concerning the circumstaunce of tyme,
although above there is properly no Ephe. 1
course of time. He elected us (as Paull
writeth) before the constitucion of the
world: meaning from wythout beginninge,
sooner could he not elect us. And B6v
And moreover he sayth, that he elected
us which are most base, most vile, most
abject, wormes in comparison of him.
By the sinne of Adam we were all defiled,
infected, in firme, frayle, blynde, malingnaunte,
full of venim, contrarie to
god, enemies and rebels: so that a thing
more miserable could not have bin chosen.
Paule doth also magnifye our election,
in respect of the dignitie, to the which
we are elected, and sayth, he hath not chosen
us to be his servauntes or frendes,
but to be his children, nothing to god can
be more nygh, entire and dere, then his
childrēen, neither is it possible to imagine
a greater dignitie. It doth include al other
vertues and goodnes, it is so high &
excellent. Being then elected from so miserable
an estate, to be the sonnes of god.
He hath also chosen us to be the brethren
of Christ and therby with him coheires
of God: yea the world is ours? Christ Rom, 8
with all his gyftes, al that is the fathers
is the sonnes, therfore all is ours that is
gods, whose goods we may dispose as children
their fathers. And bicause we shuld
shame to be the sonnes of God, not havinguing B7r
the maners, graces, & vertues convenient
to such a dignitie, therefore not
onely our heavenly father, hath chosen
us to be his sonnes, but hath blessed us,
not with woordes onely, but with effects,
not as Isaac blessed Jacob or Esau,
but with all spirituall blessing in things Eph, 1 Collo. 1
celestial. And so according to Paule, hath
made us meete to be partakers of the felowship
of light, and delivering us from
the power of darknes, hath ledde us into
the kingdome of his beloved sonne: God
then with out beginning did determyne
to justifye, glorifie, and magnifie those
that he had elect, & even so he hath done:
as Paule wryteth, who also exaltyth our Rom, 8
electiōon for that cause, saying: that it was
not our good workes, which god foresawe
without beginning, that were the cause
of ourour election, but he chose us by mere
mercie, according to the decreed purpose
of his owne wyll, to the laude and glory
of his mercie, we were not then chosen
bicause we were holye, but bicause we
shold be holy by his election, and to shew
in the worlds to come, the abundante riches Eph, 1 & 2
of his grace. Paule also shewith the worflawed-reproductionone character B7v
the dignitie of the persōon by whose means
we are chosen, and sayth, he hath willed,
that betwene us and him there shuld be
one mediator, nether he wold it to be an
Angel, but Christ the sonne of God. He 1. Tim. 2. Ephe. 1.
meaneth not only a mediator with words,
but with his owne blud, and death Paule
both exalt our election as concerning the
ende. For bicause he hath elected us for
his sonnes, to the ende we may taste (not
only in the life to come, but also in thys
present) things so high, happy, riche, and
pure, that the eye hath not seene, nor the eare
hath not hard, nor into the hart of man (being
carnall) hath at any tyme entred,
he hath then elected us, to the ende (that 1. Cor. 2
regenerate by Christe Jesu) wee should
walke to God by good workes, that wee Ephe. 2.
may be holy and inreprehensible, before
his presence. Our election is also excellente
by the suertye therof, for that the electe
are in the handes of God. Therfore
shall not they perish as Christ sayth, yea Ephe. 1. John. 10.
they can not perish, even as they can not
bee pluckte out of his handes. Therfore
oure election is moste happye, so that nothing
oughte so much to bee rejoysed in, as B8r
as to be the elected & chosen of god. Ther
it is read, the disciples returning to christ,
and rejoysing with great gladnes, that even
the very Develles were subjecte to
them, Christ amonge the reste of words,
badde them they shuld not rejoyce of the Luke. 10.
Devels, but that their names were writen
in heaven: by which wordes, he did
shew that we oughte to make a singuler
joye of our election, for that includeth,
and bringeth with it the summe of all
our wealth, since then that our election
is so excellent, riche, sure, and happy. Let
us praye to God to geve vvs lighte and
grace, to perceyve it, to the ende,
that tasting in it (with the spirite)
the mightie goodnes of
God, we maye render
him all laude, honor:
& glory, by
Jesu Christ
our lord,.

If
B8v

If wee maye knowe in this This hole
Sermon
must be
warely
red & wel
understāanded,
or els
it must be
taken but
as persuasive
not
as doctrine.

present lyfe, whether we be in the
grace of God, and one of
hys electe or not, and in
what maner the,, the thyrd
Sermon.

It is not to be douted
that God seeth all
thinges, specially his legittimate
children, sence
he him self hath chosen
then to that dignitie. Christ also knoweth, 2. Tim. 2 Ephe. 1
and know them alwaies, the which
was very convenient, sence his father
had gevēen them to him for that he shulde
be theyr governor, shepherd, & brother,
and that he shuld save them with hys
own death: he knew thēem, and doth know
his shepe evēen as himselfe sayd, yea from John. 17 John. 6
the beginning he knew who should beleve.
But it is not now convenient, that Mat. 13
we may or can deserve distinctlye, the
elect from the reprobate, to the end we
may be more fervēent in exercisinge charite,
with all mēen, as if they were brethern
with us in Christ, the which we would not do C1r
not do toward the reprobate if we knew
them distinctlye: But in the ende, the
tares shalbe seperate from the good wheat:
none then being in this present life knoweth
certenly of his neighbour, if hee be
of the elect or not, nor also whether he be
in the favour of God: we may only have
therof an obscure, cōonfused, uncertein, and
fayling knowledge by conjecture of the
outward lyfe and works, of whōom Christ
speaking, sayd. Ye shall knowe them by Math. 7.
their fruites. But forasmuch as wee see
not the herts of men, which often tymes 1. Cor. 2. Luke. 16.
(although within they are ungodly and
abhomination itself in the sight of God,
neverthelesse covering them with veyle
of hipocrisie making therin) they apeare
to be sainctes. Therfore without special
oracle, we can have no certeine knowledge
therof. But I say that every electe,
whyle he is in this present lyfe, beinge
come to the yeres of discression, may, and
ought to know it of himself, not by naturall
light (by meanes wherof thinges supernaturall
can not be perceived, as the
excellent divine will toward us) but by
faythe, without other speciall privilege. C.j. And C1v
And this not with having respecte to thēem
selves, where is nothing seene but worthy
damnacion, neither with cōonsidering
or beholding them selves in God without
Christ, for in that case he must shew
him selfe a just judge full of wrath: then
we neither see our selves his sonnes, nor
in favour. But with lively fayth beholding
both our selves, and God in Christ,
we see our selves to be in the favour of
God, and his elect sonnes, and God to be
pacified with us in love and our only father.
Such thēem as lively beleeve, that Christ
for them hath dyed upon the crosse, have
the holy ghost within them, & are in the
favour of God, bicause that faith doth purifie
the hert. This
must be
warly red
and well
understanded
or it
is not
true. But
if thou understand

what it
is to beleve
in
Christ
with a
lively
faith then
there is
no daunger
at all.
And further I saye, that
all they which in this present life doo beleeve
lively in Christ (yea were it for a
moment of time) shalbe saved. They are
electe and sonnes of God, & may be suer
and certeine, of their salvation. And that
this is trewe, the words of Sainct Jhon
ought to suffice, which sayth, that he is the
sonne of God, therefore electe and savid,
who so beleveth Jesu Christe to bee the
sonne of God. And also Christe sayde who C2r
who so beleveth in me hath life everlasting 1. John. 7
neverthelesse it may clearly be prouedved
that none beleveth lively in Christ,
but he that beleveth Christe to bee wholy
his rightwisenes and that he is saved
thorowlye by him, and he that seeth this
with supernaturall understanding having
no respect to him selfe nor his workes,
but only to the goodnes of God discovered
in Christ upon the crosse, cannot
by any meanes be disceived, bicause that
light which he hath to bee in the favour
of God, elect to salvation, can not growe
but onlye of the bountie of God, considered
in Christ, wherof can spring no false
nor deceitfull knowledge. Ful wel may
he bee begiled and shalbe, that doeth behold
his worckes, and by them thinketh
that he is in the favour of God, and hys
sonne. But seing him selfe in Christ saved,
chosen and in the favour of God, it
must needes be sayd, that he seeth the truth,
and that which is once trewe although
it were but for the twincke of an eye
must be said to be ever tru, he thēen which
beleveth in Christ, wer it but a minnite
of an hour, in perceiving of him self elect C.ij. by C2v
by Christ, seeth that which is true, therefore
it shal ever be true, that he is one of
the legitimate sonnes of God, so that the
same his fayth, be not in any maner foūunded
upon him self, nor his own worckes,
but in Christ, and the divine excellence,
and that it be not a certeine trifleing, light,
baren & dead opinion, but a lively fayth.
It must be sayd then that Judas had never
perfect faith, nether was elect to salvacion,
although he was chosen to the Apostleshippe,
and the like say I of all the
reprobate: all such then as have had at
any tyme lively beliefe to be saved by
Christ mai be sure of their salvatiōon. And
so also they, which have once at the least
bene perfectly geven to God, & committed
to his governaunce, upon the covenaunte,
that he shall serve himselfe of
them according to his owne purpose, and
with truste that by Christ and his meere
goodnes hee hath accepted them for hys
own, they may also beleeve that they are
saved, bicause that he shalbe no lesse God
to thēem, then they shal be promised of him.

Therfore having had in that covenaūunt
lively fayth, that God will forgeve them as C3r
as his Children, in such sorte, that hee This is
not spokēen
to declare
that it is
possible
for gods
elect to be
wholy geven
to ssin,
but if it
were possible,
yet
should
they recover
that pestilēence.

will conduct them to salvation, although
they (as much as lieth in them) were cōontinually
prompte to al evil: yet it is necessary
to say, that sence God hath taken
them for his (as they know by the lively
fayth that they have hadde thereof) that
they shal overcome the wickednes & have
honour thereby.

For his goodnes passeth their evelnes
he would not have inspired them to give
them selves, if from without beginning,
he had not elected them and taken them
for his owne. Some peradventure will
say, if we were onlye ones suer to have
bene for a litle time in the favour of God,
to have had his spirit in us, and livelye
faith in him, that we did beleve suerelye
to be his elect: yet wee knowe not if it
have bene a perfect fayth or not, we fear
it to have bene a certeyne cold opinion
and leaste we were begiled in beleving
to be in gods favor and elected of him. I
answere that this is an evident signe,
that ye have never had hitherto livelye
faith and knowledge of Christ. For as
it is unpossible to have fyre within the C.iij. brest C3v
brest and not fele it, so is it impossible to
have in the hart christ, the holy gost, ardēent
charitie and the fierye light of fayth, and
not to perceive it, and this is, for that his
light is so clere and effectuous, that not
only it maketh thēem to se, & livelie to fele
with the spirit, that Christ is dead for thēem
upon the crosse, that they are elect and savid,
but also it doth make them know,
that it which they see, is by divine inspiracion,
that it is the holy spirit which testifieth
unto theyr spirite, that they are
the sonnes of God. Whose testimonie is Rom. 8
more clere, open, firme, and certeine, then
al the outward oracles and miracles of
the world, which without the inward testimonie
of the spirit, cāan leave us none other
thēen doubtfull. Now, that he that hath
in him Christ and the spirit of God, doth
fele, know, and perceive it: it is clere by
Christ which sayd that the world knew
not the holy Gost, but that he was knowēen
of them in whom he was. And by sainct 1. Joh. 3
John
, which sayd also: In this we know
that Christ is in us, even by the holy
Ghost which he hath geven us.

Therfore sayd Paul, trie your selves, 2. Cor. 13 make C4r
make some profe of your selves, is it possible
that ye should not knowe Christ in you,
if ye be not reprobate? And in an other
place, know ye not how ye are the temple
of God, and that the holy ghost dwelleth
in you? The holy spirite goth searching 1. Cor. 2 Esa. 31 RomRom. 15 Luk. 1
throughout, and judgeth every thing, and
fayth is so clere, that it sheweth us the
profunditie of God: and thou wilt that it
be blind of it self. Yea Paul sayth, that the
holy gost is gevēen to us, to the end we might 1. Tessa. 1
know those thinges that have ben geven
us of Christ. The kyngdom of God is
peace (as writeth Esai and Paul) without
servile feare, in much certentie. Therefore
as Christ sawe, that he was in the
favour of his father, & his beloved sonne,
so also do the elect see thēem selves, although
not with so clear light and certentye, but
that they go somtyme doubtyng, stumbling,
& wavering. But they ought with
the Apostles to pray christ to augmēent their
faith. And seke with their good workes cōontinually Luk. 17
to make knowen to thēem selfes
more perfect their salvatiōon and vocation,
that therby as by the effectes or fruites
they shuld come into the full riches C.iiij. of C4v
of certeyne perswacion, and understanding
of their election & salvation. Paule 1 Tessa. 1 2. Tim. 4 Rom. 8 Gala. 2 2, Cor, 3
also knew he was in the favour of God,
in faith, hope and charytie, elected the
sonne of God, safe and suer, and that he
had the holy ghost & Christ within him,
when he said that he was one of thēem that
Christ was come to save, and that he
knewe in whom he beleved, that he loked
for the Crowne, that nothing coluuld
seperate hym frōom the love of God, which
had elected him before the constitution
of the world, that he had the spirite of
adopcion of the sonnes of God, and that
Christe was he, who lyved and spake in
him. Saint John also sayed: we are suer
we know God, and that we live in him,
worldlie and carnall beastes are they,
which know not God in the holy ghost, Gal. 2 Joh. 14 1. Cor. 11
nor those thinges which be his, even as
men not regenerate, they are rusticall
paysauntes of so abjecte & base a spirite,
that they can not beleve that God hath
loved them so much, that by death of his
only begotten and most intierly beloved
sonne, he would save thēem, take them for
his children, and make them his heyres: But C5r
But astonied of theyr sinnes, they are
ever afrayed of hell. Where the regenerate
fele in such sorte the charitie of God
in Christ, that they know them selves to
be saved. Neither can they once thinke
that Christ (who hath al his fathers power
and shall be theyr judge) wil refuse, lose,
or damne thēem, and geve sentence against
his brethern and members, for whom he
dyed on the crosse, and would dye agayn Mat. 28
if it were necessarie. They have in them
also the holy ghost for an earnest of theyr Ephe. 1
salvation. But if God had geven us nothyng
but our beyng, should not we for
that only benefite, feele so much the great
goodnes of God, that we myght be sure
and certayne of our salvacion? And now
he in every creature doth sparkle towardes
us love, with innumerable benefites,
yea in Christe upon the Crosse,
casteth he the flame of perfecte charitye,
and shall not wee feele so much the goodnes
of God that wee should beleve to be his
electe?

If one only should be saved I wold
trust suerly to be he, if al the men and
angels wold tel me that I were dampned C.v. I cold C5v
I cold not beleve thēem, although they did alledge
all the reasonnes possible, but I wold
ever give, more truste to Christ alone,
who upōon the crosse, with his bloud & death,
doeth tel me I am saved, thēen I wold to al
the rest, for he alone, hath more power in
me, thēen all the reasōons & authorities without
him. Provided only that I se him with
lively fayth, dead for my salvacion. Yea
in that case seing my selfe, by Christ, to
be the sonne of God, I wold with Paule excommunicate Gal. 1
the very angels as superior
to them, if they wold saye the contrary, or
gaine say thee Gospell, and the great love
and benefit, which in that case I shuld fele
by Christ. Paradventure thou wilt say it
semeth me not, that I cāan be suer of my salvacion,
because I am free to do evell, so
may I sinne and be dampned. Our life is
in such sort variable, that to give a certeyne
judgement, we must tary the ende,
for every one wold have though, that Judas
shuld have bene saved whēen he was called
of Christ, and yet it is sene, that it is contrary.
I answere, thou begilest thy selfe,
in thinking thy salvacion dependeth upon
the likelyhod of thy workes. Paule affirmeth Ephe. 1 meth, C6r
that God hath elected us by his mere
mercy in Christ, not bycause we were
holy, or for that he foresawe our good
workes, but because we should be holy,
and should do good workes, and persevering
in thēem, we should dye in his favour
and grace: Inwardly doth God call his
elect, geveth them knowledge of him,
and doth justifie and glorifie them. Therfore
doeth Paul adde and say, if god be with Rom. 8
us, who can be against us? And he ment
if we be once elect, we can no more lose
our selves: meaning, there is nothing
that can let the electiōon of God. Yea every
thing serveth to salvacion, even sinne.
Therfore where thou saiest, thou mayst
sinne, it is true, and peradventure thou
shalt sinne. Nevertheles if thou be the
elect, thou shalt algates ryse againe and
be saved: wherof thou mayst be certeyn
and sure, so that once at the least thou
have perceyved thy selfe in Christ, and
by Christ saved, neyther thou oughtest
so much to dispayre in thy selfe, as
that thou shuldest not much more trust
in the goodnes of God, knowing that
the Gospell is not the law, but mercie,cie, C6v
and know thou that when the elect
fall in any sinne (which God doth not permitte
but for the benefite of thēem, and the
other elect) whilest they are in the erroure,
they fele in them selves, a certeyne
hidden vertue, which witholdeth and refrayneth
thēem, frōom doing worsse, it biteth,
nippeth, and reprehēendeth thēem of the evell
fact, and doth endure and spurre them to
cōonvert. There remaineth ever a certeyn
hate of sin, although they be sometime
overcome of frailtye. So that they never
turne from God with al their power, nor
run wholy to vice with a lose bridell.
God hath them ever for his owne, and
governeth them as his lawefull Childrēen.
And speaking oftēen in theyr herts he saith
that which he sayd to his Apostles: feare Luk. 12
not litle flocke, for it hath pleased your father,
to give you his kingdōom of his mere
goodnes although you be unworthy. And
if thou woldest bring in Salomon, who
sayth, none knoweth whether he be worthy
of hate or love, I answere. It is clere
(chyflie by the wordes which folow) that
he ment, that man were he never so just
& wise, was so blinde in this world, that he C7r
he cannot know by the workes of God,
that is by prosperity or adversity, whether
of him self, he be worthy of hate or
love. And this is bicause God giveth his
giftes so indifferently, to the good & evell,
to the elect and reprobat. Thou wilt say
yet, Paul said: my cōonscience doth not reprove 1. Cor. 14
me yet am I not therby justified
before God, therfore it cāan not be knowēen.
But I answere, that the entēent of Paul was
to say, that though by grace of the Lorde
he had ministred the Gospel, in such sort,
that his conscience dyd not rebuke
him of any erroure (which was imputed
unto hym for a sclaunder of false christians)
nevertheles he held not him selfe
juste for this neyther was he just, he judged
him selfe just by Christ, and not by
preaching the Gospell inreprehensible in
the syght of man, but yet not in the presence
of God, for that he hath not preached
it with the whole force of spirit,
fayth, and love. So that here Paul did
condemne the opiniōon of them, whic judge
them selves just by theyr owne works,
but he doth not reprove the judgement
of those, which judge them selves righteousous and C7v
& saved by the bountie of god, & death
of his onli begottēen sōonne: but doth approve
it. With Paule also agreeth Job whēen Job. 9
he sayd, that although he were just, he
durst not judge himselfe so, that is, he
durst not hold him for ryghteous, by his
owne proper righteousnes and works,
but by the justice of Christ.

Sence then that it may and ought to
bee knowen of us, that wee are in the favoure
of God, and hys electe, lette us
force us continually to encrease in more
knowledge of the Goodnesse of God: so
that firmely establyshed in the lyvelye
fayth of our salvacion, we may as
children render hym all honoure,
laud, and glory:
by Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Whether it be good or evell
to beleve that we are elect:
the fourthe Sermon.

Some say that it is evell to
beleve that we are elect, by
cause, that as the beliefe to
be reprobate, bringeth mēen in C8r
in dispeyre: so the beliefe of eleccion, is
cause of presumpcion. But the just and
the holy flye both the one and the other
extremitie. They are not exalted in presumpcion,
beleving to be elect: nor fallen
in the botomles pitte of dispeyre, with
belief of dampnacion, but kepe the meane
waye everstanding betwene both. And
I say that it is true, that none ought to
dispeyre, or yet to presume, but assuredlye
to hope and beleve to be saved and
elected: Mary by oure owne works, this
is an evyll vyce, & ought to be fled. But
to beleve to be elected and saved by the
liberalitie of God, by the death of Christ
upon the crosse, and hys workes: this is
no presumpcion, but a hope which hath
regard (as divine & theologicall vertue)
not to our merites, but only to God by
Christ. And as we can not love him so
much, but that we ever lack of the perfectiōon,
so cāan we not to much hope & trust in him.
Yea we lack ever bycause we do not promise
of God so much as we shuld do,
he that beleveth to be savid, be commeth
not proud, neyther magnifieth himselfe,
nor his worckes, but the goodnes of god, C8v
of god, & the grace that we have by christ.
Therfore is it not evell. Peradventure
thou wilt saie one ought to stand in feare
I agre therto, in the reverend and sonnelike
feare, the which importeth observaunce
of reverence to God, but now not Rom. 8
so vile: for we are no more servauntes
but sonnes, not Hebreues but Christiāans,
we are not under the lawe but grace, we
have God for our father, and not only for
a Lorde. Therefore our office is to love Rom. 8
him like children, & not to feare him, as
servaunts, sence that we have the spirite Rom. 8
not of servitude but of adoptiōon, of the sōones
of God. If our salvacion did depend
in any parte upon our selfes: I would say
we ought to fear our damnacion yea to
be sure therof: but sēence it is al in the hands
of god, therfore beholding not our selves,
but hys goodnes discovered in Christ upōon
the crosse we may be suer and certeyne 1. Joh. 4
of our salvacion. Perfect charitie chaseth
away al servile feare, and faith never
douteth if it be perfect: the scare thēen of our
damnaciōon groweth of imperfectiōon of our
charitie, faith and hope. We ought never
to feare the mercyfulnes of God, but our D1r
our own wickednes. Thou woldest say,
if wee were wholye confirmed in grace,
we should not neede to feare, but we sin
dayly, therfore it is necessary to stand in
doubte. I answere that yet thou goest about,
to build my hope upon my workes
the which should be no hope but a presumpcion.
If we should hope with condition
if we do well, and persever therin,
my hope should stand with desperacion,
for of my selfe I knowe I oughte to despaire.
If I had the sinnes of the whole
worlde, yet would I moste stedfastly beleeve
to be saved withoute any feare of
dampnacion, neyther may this be sayde
to be evell, for that I woulde not builde
my hope upōon Christ. If thou woldest say,
the feare of damnacion causeth men to
abstein from sinne, therfore it is good. I
answere, that is causeth men to refraine
in their owne love, as doth the feare of
death wherby they become dayly more
sensual in them selves, and therfore trulye,
worse inwardlye. Feare worketh
wrath in God, even as the lawe doth: &
although it cause thee to abstaine from
some evil outward worcke, nevertheles D.i. the D1v
the venime remaineth within, the which
is so muche the worse, as it is more united
to the inward partes, yea that feare
geven to the ungodly, is the scorge of God.
The elect (knowing that God in this present
life doth punishe more the legitimate
children then the bastardes) abstaine also
by this feare more then the other. But
trulye the love of God, the quicke feeling
of his great goodnes, to beleve firmely by
Christ and his grace to be the sonnes of
God, elect & sure in deed, are those things
which mortifie us to the world and to our
selves, and maketh sinne displeasaunt to
us, euēen from the botome of the hert. Therfore
where the servile feare mpaketh Ipocrites,
the sonnelyke love maketh trewe
Christians. If thou wouldest say, to beleeve
so, is a thing very perilous because
that hereof they take occasiōon to live idle,
yea to geve them self to al vice, saying I
wil make my paradise in this world, for
every way I shalbe savid, sīince that already
I am elect. I answere that when one
beleveth to be elect and perceiveth in spirit
the mercifulnes of God in Christ, thēen
God tasted in Christ hath in the hart such efficacie D2r
efficacie and strength, that he cannot offend,
but is forced to dispraise the world,
and is rapt to so high estate that hee falleth
to obliviōon of the world, him self and
his paradise, setting only God before his
eyes. Therfore saith Saint John. Who Joh. 3.
so hath this faith, sanctifieth him self. So
as then of charite springeth but goodnes,
evēen so is it, of this faith and hope. Knowest
thou where in is the perille? In beleving
to be elected, by their works, and
by beleving in Christ not stedfastly, but
to have only a certaine barrain, idle and
a dead opiniōon therof, the which standeth
in the worst life, in such sort that of that
cold and unfruitful fayth, they may take
occasion to geve them to Idelnes, and all
vyce. But now not of that perfect fayth,
the which is effectuous in doing workes
by love, being an inflamed light, the which Gala. 1.
is never withoute burning. If also thou
wouldest say in beleving to be elect thou
shouldest peradventure be begiled, therfore
it is evell. I would yet aunswere,
that I woulde soner geve fayth to the
holye Ghost, whiche testifyeth in the
harts of the electe, that they are the sonnes D.ij. of D2v
of God (as Paule writeth) thēen to thee that Rom. 8
woldest put me in doubt of it. The electe
to heare inwardly in their hertes a spirituall
voyce, quick and devine, which biddeth
them not doubt, and that they are suer
of their salvation, and that God loveth
them, and hath taken them for his children,
and that they cannot perishe: the John. 10.
testimony of God is greater then mans.

Therfore not only he is to be beleeved
afore man, but he deserveth to have givēen
unto him doubted credite. If thou wouldest
say, it might be, not the spirit of god
but their imaginacions. I say, that whatsoever
it is they know better then thou, 1. Cor. 2
for that (as Paule saith) none knoweth
what is in man but the spirite of man,
that is within him.

Farder I am suer, that the same spirit
which saith to me, I am elected is the spirite
of God bicause the fayth I have of
my election, springeth not of my works,
but only of the goodnes of god, understāand
in Christ and for that of his goodnes can
growe neyther gyle nor falshod, therfore
am I suer to be in the trueth. Deceites
and falshedes, may, and do come, of the beliefeliefe D3r
to be saved, by workes, and elected:
Moreover the light which the elect have
of their salvacion, is so cleare that they do
not onlye se them selves suer therof, but
they know also, that the lyght and knowledge
they have, is supernaturall and
divine. But we suppose as thou sayst,
that is beleving to be elect only by Christ
& the goodnes of God, I myght be begiled
(which is false and impossible) yet wold
I still say, let me be deceyved for it is
good to be so begiled, sence I can find no
thing, that so much doth kindel me into
a sincere and pure love of God, as to beleve
to be elected by his mere goodnes.
Therfore using it to make me inamored
of God, I ought not to be withdrawen,
chifelie for that I am happie, onlie by that
fayth, of the which whosoever is voide, is
not yet entred into the kingdome of god,
where is nothing but rightnousnes peace
and Joie.

Finally Paule beleved to be elected as Rom. 4
in many places he sayth, yea he gloried
therin (neverthelesseneverthelesse in god) & so to beleve
he induced others, the which, if it had
bene evel, he wold not have done. TherforeD.iij. fore D3v
if it be not evell, let us also with
Paule, glory us by God in Christ, who
likewyse induced the Apostles, to beleve Luk. 10 Mat, 15 Math. 16
that theyr names were writēen in heaven,
that theyr heavenly reward was plentuous,
& that they shulde judge the xij. tribes,
& therby brought thēem to beleve they wer
elect, and that is also suer, that if that belefe
had bene evell, he wold not have caused
it. Thou wilt saye, thou oughtest not
to compare thy self, equal with the sainctes.
I say it is true that I ought not to
presume to be like thēem, or holy by myne
own worckes, for while I presume of
my selfe, I must of force become a devell,
but it is not evell to compare with the
saintes in veritie, for they were humble,
& in beleving that they were elect, they
gave to God all laude and glory bycause
they did not beleve to be of the elect for
their merites, but for christes. And wold
to God, I might beleve thee firmely and
with stedfast fayth, the sacred scriptures
are full, that we ought not to despeire of
our salvacion, but that we ought to hope
and beleve to be already saved, and dayly
to certifie our selves therof by doing good worckes, D4r
worckes, which are a testimonie to us u
of our election, and that we shuld also increase 2. Pet. 1 1. John. 4
in charitie, to take frōom us all feare
of our dampnaciōon to the end we may serve
God without feare, inrightuousnes and
holinesse as Zacharie sayd. And likewise
wee ought to demaund perseveraunce in Luke. 1
the good with faith to obteyn it. Therfore
to trust to be saved, and of the elected
and to hope and beleve to be saved and of
the elect, is not evell. Paul also sayth: our
hope was never cōonfounded nor did shame
to them that had it.

And likewise that fayth, was never
beguiled. Wherfore then is it evill that
I beleve stedfastly to be saved by Christ?
Let us behold then with open eyes of lively
fayth, Christ upōon the crosse, in whom
we se presently the goodnes of god in the
face in such sorte, as we may being
pelgrimes, to thend wee may
render to him al laud,
honor and glory
through Jesus
Christ
our
Lorde.

Amnen.

D.iiij.
Whether D4v

Whether it be necessarie to salvacion
to beleve that we are elected
or not: the fyft Sermon.

Fayth is very necessary, because Heb. 11 Mar. 16 John. 3
that without it, not
only god cāan not be pleased,
but he that beleveth not
shall be condempned, and
is already judged. But it
is also impossible, that one that doth not
beleve to be elected should beleve as he
ought to do any of the articles necessarie
to salvaciōon. And to prove that this is true,
if thou belevest not that thou art one of
the elect, thou belevest not in God, in the
maner that thou art bounde, bycause
that it suffiseth not to have a certeyn
dead opinion that God is, but thou must
effectuously beleve that he is thy God,
that he loveth the, that he is propiciatory
to thee, that he is continually beneficyall
to thee, that he hath most special cure of
thee & causeth every thinge to serve thee
to salvacion, and therfore that thou arte
electe. Yea who so beleveth not that he
is elect, doeth unot fele in spirite, the benefitfit of D5r
of Christ.

Therfore being without Christ, he is
without God, and knoweth him not as Ephe. 1 Gal, 4
Paule writteth. Then how is it possible
that thouthou mayst beleve perfectly that he
is thy Father if thou do not beleve that
thou art his sonne, and therfore his heire
& saved. Thou canst also never earnestlie Gal, 4
beleve that God is omnipotent, if thou
understand not, that continually he useth
his omnipotencie towards thee, in doing
the good. Which when with the spirite
thou didest prove, thou shuldest of force
beleve thy selfe to bee his heyre, if thou
beleve not thou art elect, how canst thou
beleve that god hath created the heavens,
and the earth, and that he susteineth and
governeth al to thy behofe having of thee
most singuler cure: it is nedefull, that
with lively fayth, imbrasinge al the
world for thy owne, thou perceive effectually
the goodnes of God, in every creature.
And when that is, thou shalt be inforced
to beleve, that thou art the sonne of
God. Thou canst not also beleve in
Jesu, that is that he is to thee Jesus and
savioure, if thou beleve unot that thou art saued, D5v
saved, neyther canst thou beleve that he
is thy Christ, that is to say a Prophet
king & priest, if thou fele not in spirite,
that he doth illuminate and lighten thee,
as a prophet, rule thee as a king, and as
an only priest is offered for thee upon the
crosse. The which if thou didest beleve
thou shuldest also beleve to be elected.
How shalt thou beleve that Jesus is the
only begotten sonne of God, thy Lord
come into the world to save the, and gevēen
to thee, with al his devine treasures and
graces, if thou dost not beleve, thy selfe to
be one of his lambes, thonu canst not beleve
(as thou art bound to do) that he
died for thee, nor perceive his excessive Rom. 8
charitie, so that with Paule thou maist
say, nothing cāan seperate me from the charite
of God. It is necessary to beleve, that
Christ upon the crosse hath satisfied for
thy sinnes, and that he hath reconciled thee,
satisfied to his father and saved thee, and
therfore that thou art the sonne of god: he
that beleveth (as he ought) that Christ is
risen to justifie us, doth also know him
selfe saved, and so he that perfectly doth
understand that Christ our head is ascendedded into D6r
into heavēen & entred for us in possession
of paradise, perceiveth him self risen Phil. 3
with Christ, & alredy by hope being
ascended into heaven, practiseth with the Ephe, 3
mind in paradise, where Christ is sitting
in peaceable possessiōon of things celestial:
he saieth with Paul, we are made safe by Rom. 8
hope, it suffiseth not to beleve that he shall
judge the quicke and the dead the which
also the devils beleve, but that the sentēence
shalbe al in thy favour, having to thy
judge, him that died upon the crosse for thee.
We can not lively beleve the sending of the
holy gost, if we fele it not in our selves: &
if we do feale it, we shalbe foreced with
Paule to say, the spirit of god rendreth testimony
to our spirit that we are the sonnes
of God, therfore heires & saved. Neyther Rom. 8.
is it inough that there is a church of god,
but thou must beleve to be a porciōon therof,
and one of the lyvely stones, and therfore
one of the elect. And to beleve the
communion of sainctes, thou must feele,
that as a member of Christ, he doth perticipate
his grace with thee, & that thou
art therby saved, thou must also beleve
the remission of sinnes, that is not only that he D6v
he doth perdon sinnes, but that he hath
pardoned thee thine, and so elected thee.
Even so thou must beleve, that thou shalt
ryse glorious, and have life everlasting.
Then ther is no article of our faith, that
can be beleved in such sort as it ought to
be, of those which do not beleve they are
elected. To the Christian it is then necessary
to beleve that god is his God, and
Father: that he worcketh all for his benefite,
and that Christ is come, was borne,
hath lived, died and risen agayne for his
salvacion, so that with lively faith he imbraceth
Christ wholy for his own with
al his treasure and grace. And likewise
al his life, death, resurrection, assention
and glory, and perceiveth the charitie of
God in Christ, as if there hadde bene no
mo but onlye him selfe in the world, and
that Christ for him onlye, wold have
wrought & suffered, no lesse then he hath
done. The which when thou dost beleve,
thou shalt perceyve thou art elect. Yea
he that beleve not he is elect, cāan not praye
as he ought, being without faith, without
the which (after Paul we can not effecteously Rom. 10. Jaco. 1
recommend us to God, bycause that D7r
that we must aske in fayth, if we will
aske in verity and be hard, now if thou
beleve not to be his sonne and heire, how
canst thou (as Christ taught) say our father,
and as a sonne with confidence aske
him grace. Praier may wel be made, of
infidels and Ipocrites, but like folishe
scoffers & mockers. When thou saiest, “halowed
be thy name, thy kingdome come”
,
thou must have in thee, the spirit of adoption
of the sonne of God. And as the sonne
is moved of vehement love, pure and sincere,
to desire the kingdome and glory of
the father: so must thou (seing thee, the
sonne of god) with a devine spirite, by the
force of love, aske and desyre that thy heauenlie
father be honored, & reigne in his
elect with out rebellion. Likewise shalt
thou never thanck God with al thy hert,
if thou beleve not to be one of the elect:
yea if thou shalt doubt therin, or thinke
to be dampned in thy hart, and in thy life,
and paraduentur also with thy words,
thou wilt disprayse him, that he hath givēen
the a being, that he hath create the world
sent Christ, and so the rest his benefites,
and wilt saye. If I am not saved, what do these D7v
do these thinges profit me? it had ben better
for me, that I had never bēen, as Christ Mar. 14
sayd of Judas If I shalbe dampned, the
death of Christ serveth me not, but doth
inflame & burne, with al the rest of his benefites:
thou canst not in perfection thēen
thancke god, if thou feare dampnation.
But who so beleveth he is one of the elect Rom. 8
& therby that al things serve him to slavacion,
even the very troubles, he holdeth
for a speciall grace and benefite, in them
perceiving the goodnes of God, he giveth
him thanckes with all his herte. Who
shall he be that committeth him selfe holy
to the governaunce of God (as every
one ought to do() if he beleve not that god
is his father, that he pardoneth him, and
doth take of him most singuler cure? Otherwise
they shall never trust in God,
but with Adam shall feare him, and flye,
seking to hide him selfe from the face of
God, neyther is it possible, to love God
in verite, honor him as he ought to be honored
and approve for just and holly
all his worckes, and so delite wholy in
him, if he fele not in Christ so much the
goodnes of God, that he se him selfe hys Gal, 4 sonne D8r
sonne and also heire. If he know not him
selfe to be a sonne, he shall feare as a servant,
and in all his worckes have respect
to him selfe, his paines, displeasures, incommodites,
dishonoures, and hell, or els
to this paradice, and not to the glorie of
God. As he that seeth him selfe a sonne,
Lord of al and heire and suer therof: such
a one worketh only by strength of spirit,
and vehemencie of love to the glory of
God, to whom he hath turned his whole
intent, and to that end ordreth his whole
life. Also it can not be possible, to love
thy neyghbour as thy selfe, as a brother
in Christ, & member with thee of the same
bodie, if thou do not beleve to be in the
nomber of the sonnes of god. And finally
ther can not one good worcke be done, but
of them that are regenerate, sonnes of
God, members of Christ, and have in
them the holy spirite which testifieth in
their hertes, that they be the sonnes of god.
And may partely be sene how false and
ungodly, is the doctrine of the Antechristians,
that were as it is cheiflye necessarie
to beleve that we are elected, and
also above all things most commodious they D8v
they force thēem selves to withdraw every
one from this fayth, perswading them to
stāand in doubt, as though they had wherin
to mistrust the goodnes of god, upōon whom Ose. 13
onlie dependeth our slavation, as our
dampnaciōon doth of our selves. But let us
pray to God to open our eyes, to the ende
they may no longer blaspheme, but
render to God all honor, laude,
and glorie, by Jesu Christ
our Lorde.

Amen.

If it be good to seeke to know
wherfore God hath some elect and
some reprobate: the sixt
Sermon.

Thy desyre may be wycked,
as it is in many, to
whom it appearteth that
it should have bēen better,
if god (who being of power
as he is) had elected all
men, and semeth them, that in this God
hath lacked of charitie, yea in theyr language,
they say in their herte secretly. If we E1r
“If we had bene God, we would have
elected all, and would have had more charitie
thēen he.”
Now behold, whether this
be ungodly, folishe, proud blasphemy, or
not. They Imagine to have more love to
the soules, then he, that for to save them
gave his onely begotten and dearly beloved 1. Job. 4
sonne upon the crosse. There are
some other, to whōom it semeth on the one
syde, that God can not erre: and on the
other party, bearing that he hath reproved
many, they think the contrary. They
are not certeyne by fayth, that God can
not erre, aund that al that he willeth, must
nedes be just. Therfore to make it cler,
they go searching, wherfore he hath not
elected all men, and they would find a
cause where is none. If such were godly,
they shuld quiet and satisfie thēem selves,
and shuld have thier felicitie in the devine
pleasure, without searching to assēend any
hyer. It is evill thēen to seke wherfore god
hath elected some, and other some not if
this grow of the suspicion that God may,
or have erred. The godly knoweth certeynly
by faith that he can not erre, and
hereupon resteth. There are some that E.i. aske E1v
aske after it of arrogancie and presumpcion.
They would be answered, that god
had elected them for their good worckes,
to have wherin they might glory of them
selves. And when they heresay that God
hath elected them by grace, it displeaseth
them, they gainsay it, seming them there
resteth nothing to glory in. And they perceive
not that this is the whole glorye of
the humble and true Christian, to be saved
by the mere grace of god, and Christ
crucified, and to glory only in God by
Christ, and in them selves not to see, but
thinges worthy to be ashamed of, to the
ende that to God only be honour and glorye.
It groweth also to many of unreverence, 1. Timo 4
for if they could see how inaccessible
the maiestie of God is, howe irreprehensible
is his will, and howe incomprehensible
is his wisedome, they wold not
set them selves to dispute with God, specially
if they knewe how blinde, darke,
franticke, and foolishe they be. “And who Roma. 9.
art thou”
sayd Paul, “that wil dispute with
God, answere and contend with God?”

Paule was returned from the third heauen,
wher he had heard secretes, so high that E2r
that it was not lawfull to speak to man.
Neverthelesse doing reverence to the devine
secrete judgements he sayd: “O profound
riches of the wisedom and science
of God, howe incomprehensible are hys
judgementes?”
And man, blinde, folishe,
and ungodly, is so high minded, that hee
wil do wrong to God, cōondempning him,
and reprove his holy, just, & irreprehensible
judgementes. And howe many are
they that seeke to knowe, speake & write
of it, and be commended therefore? And
all they can Imagine by force of their
owne wit, & naturall knowledge (which
can not perce so high secretes) they putte
in writing. And they are as arrogant, as
if they were in goodnes and sapience superior
to god: to be adored of the world,
they condemne the works of God. Ther
are many which are not cōontent to know
as much as god hath vouchsaved to open
to us, but they would know also a great
deal more. But it is not the office of a good
servaunt to wil to know al the secretes of
his lord: yea the sonne ought to cōontent him
with the secrets of his father, & to know of
it only, as much as is reveled to him and E.ij. to E2v
to be suer and certeine, that he will not
fayle, to manifest all that shall be expedient
for him, even so we ought to content
us, to knowe that which God hath, and
doth revele us, knowing that he doth love
us in such sort, that we have not wherin
to doubte, that he will fayle to manifest
unto us, al those secretes, the knowledge
wherof shalbe profitable and necessarye.
Yea christ him self said that he had made John. 15.
knowne all that he had hearde of the father,
our office is to seeke, to taste & feele
with the spirite, that which he hath opened
to us, & we may also desire to know
all that pleaseth God to revele us, for the
benefite of our soule, and his glory, now
for that God (to beate down carnal man,
to the ende that to him, be geven all honoure,
laude and glory) hath vouchsafed,
to open in the holy sciptures, wherefore
he hath elected some, and other some hee
hath not: Therefore we may and ought
to seeke to know it that we may so much
the more honour God: but we oughte to
beleeve if to be so, as God hath declared,
and to contente us with that way, God
flawed-reproductionone fourth of the line, in electing and reprobating, E3r
neither to thinke nor suspecte, that God
hath erred, nor ought to desire any other
way, but to be satisfied and pleased, with
so much as pleaseth the Lorde, withoute
being curious, in willing to know more,
then that which pleaseth God to
revele unto us, and all that to
the end that by Jesus christ
we may render him al honor,
laude, and glorye.

Amen.

Of the diverse effectes that it
worketh in man to beleve that our
election is al in the hands of
God, and that of him only
it dependeth: the
sevēenth Sermon.

It is seene by experience
that of one self cause, doth
growe some times cōontrary
effects. And is evident
by the sunne, which hardeneth
mire, and melteth
waxe: & this is by their diverse dis posicions.E.iij. cions. E3v
si Evēen so of the belief that our eleccion
is wholly in the handes of god, doth spring
in mēen cōontrary effectes by theyr contrary
disposicions. The ungodly perceyving that
in the devine mind is resolved their being
to be saved or dampned, they are wroth
with god, they blaspheme him with their
heart, they call him parciall and unjuste,
they give thēem selves to do evell Inough,
saying every way: “that shalbe which god
hath infallibly foresene, and immutably
determined”
, yea their faltes they cast in
the face of god, thinking that he is the cause
therof, many also despaire of their slavacion
& presume more of them selves, thēen
they hope in God, they beleve that they
shuld be saved, if theyr slavacion did depend
upon them selves, & therfore if they
could disturbe the devine counsayles, &
make that their slavacion shuld not be in
the handes of God, they wold do it. And
this is for that they knowe not their owne
great misery howe blind, infirme, frail,
and unprofitable, they are to God impotent
of them selves to goodnes, and ful of
all wickednes, and that they dyd never
(if it were put in the balance of deuine E4r
devine justice) that merited not to be punished,
and so likewise they fele not the
great goodnes of God, nor the benefits of
Christ but thincke him to be Irefull, reuengable
disdaine ful, proude, parpetual,
unjust and malignaunt, as them selfes
are. There are some which have not perfect
fayth, but they are not so ungodly as
the fyrste. Nowe these when they heare
say, or thincke that their slavacion is all
in the handes of God, they remaine confused
and evell cōontented. And this is also
for wante of knowledge of the goodnes
of God, they trust partly in God & partly
in them selves, they love not God, nor
trust nor hope perfectly in him they remayne
doubtfull, & knowe not whether
it be best to depend all upon God or not,
and it semeth thēem that it shuld have bene
best that in some parte it shuld depend
upon them selves: and yet they thincke it
wel being all in the handes of God, troubled
in such sorte, that they can not tell
which to chuse: Therfore they live in a
great perplexity. They consult some
times with the holy scripture or with thēem
that have, the knowledge of the truth, & E.iiij. they E4v
they find that it is al in the hands of god,
& they judge (when their eyes are some
what opened to the goodnes of God & their
own miseries) that it standeth wel, and
that so it is best, but thēen harkening to humaine
prudence, the which not being
wholy mortified, wold have part of the
glory to it selfe (so proude it is.) And as
that, that is blind, and seeth not the impotencie
and malignitie of man, it perswadeth
him that māan might in som part
be saved by him self, wher elles he may
despaire, if it stand al in the hand of god.
Therfore it concludeth, that it were better
if it did depend upon us, and chieflye
for that men become negligent, in thinking
that it dependeth wholy upon god:
where they wold styre them selves to
be fervent, if they dyd beleve that in any
part it rested in thēem. And although such
find the contrary in the sacred scriptures,
nevertheles they force thēem with the obscure
light of their blynde prudence, to draw
it out of the text, expounding it as may
best serve to theyr purpose. But the godly
perceive on the one side, iun such sorte
their owne proper ignorancie, frailtie, impo- E5r
impotencie, & malice: And on the other
partie the great boūuntie of god in christ crucified,
that it cōontenteth thēem to be so, al in the
hāand of god, not onli for that it hath so pleased
god, but also for their owne commoditie:
because that whereas if in the least iote
it depended upon them, they should holde
them selves damned. Now they fele so
much the excellencie of god, that certified
of their slavacion, they knowe thēem selves
elected, & hold it to be sure seeing bi faith
that it is al in the hāand of one their so mightie,
sapient, excellent & loving father. Wherfore
by this benefite, they are stired to
love him singulerly, to thanke, laude, and
serve him as children for his mere glory
wythout respect at all to thēem selves, their
hell or heaven. And if God would set in
their handes, although he would be
bound that they should be able to do all
thinges with ease toward their slavaciōon,
yet they wold not accept the bargaine: &
that is because they knowe that they are
contrary enemies and traytonurs to them
selves: so that if they had Paradise in
theyr handes, then they should let it fall
to the ground. And also for that, they do E.v. make E5v
make experiment and prove so great charitie
of God in Christ, that it certifieth
thēem of theyr eleccion. They cāan not thinke John. 3
that Christ beyng theyr judge, and dying
upon the crosse for them, should geve sentence
agaynst them: yea they know, that
who so beleveth in him shall not be judged,
but shall be so certeine of his slavacion,
that he shall not nede to make discussion
of his lyfe, for there shall not be
any to accuse hym, neyther should it be
convenient that those which have the
spirit of God, and are hys sonnes, the
brethern and members of Christ, should
be examined & judged. But with Christ, Rom. 8
they shall be judges of the other. Therfore
the elect, sure of their slavacion,
wold not chaunge Christ theyr judge
wich any in this world, although it were Mat. 19
theyr deare frend or nere parent. Yea if
God did put in theyr arbitremēent to have
Christ for theire judge or els to be their
owne judges of thēem selves, with full power
to geve sentence in their favour although
it were not just, yet to be approved, they
wold for all this, chuse christ to be theyre
judge, for that they trust more in him then in E6r
in thēem selves. And they love god so much,
that they wold not glory, but only in him
by christ. And this al there true glory.
Yea if they cold let or disturbe the devine
counsayle, or if it were necessary to be
dampned they wold chuse, rather to be
in paine for the will of God, then in all
the pleasures, disagreing to the devine
will (if it were possible) they counte
them selves unworthy to suffer for the
wyll of god. They hold thēem selves happy
to honour him with suffering, and with
being where it pleaseth to their Lord,
they lament only of the iniuries they have
done to God, but of that which God will
do of them with the spirite, they are
content, although the flesh be repugnaunte
and wold not suffer.

This shuld be a hell to them, when
God (if it were possible) wold not dispose
them to his glory but to use them to his
honoure they wold satisfy them selves
with all, and content them to know it so
to be the devine pleasure: now these are
in a cōontinually paradise by fayth already
they have had the sentence geven in
their favour, by hope they are ascended into E6v
into heaven, saying with Paul: “we are
made safe by hope, & by love they enioye Rom. 8
God.”
In thēem then of the belief, that their
election is all in the handes of god, groweth
firme fayth, and hope to be saved, the
love of God sincere and pure, and christian
vertues, with the frutes of good
worckes. I wold have pitie on the first
sorte, but their desperaciōon groweth of an
ungodlye mind, yea it is most impietie,
to despayre of the goodnes of God, most
perfect, shewed in Christ crucified as in
one his lively Image. I have compassion
of the second, and envye at the thirde.
The seconde may easely be cured with
shewing them theire frailtie, ignorauncie,
and malice, and on ithe other partie
the omnipotencie, infinite sapience, perfect
goodnes, pitie, mercy and charity of
God, shewed in Christ upon the crosse.
Of the first, I do not despaire utterly,
but I know well itis verie difficile to Mat. 3
cure them, but God is of power, of the
stones ito rayse up childern to Abraham,
flawed-reproduction3-4 charactersy have nede to be praied for, & that the lord
flawed-reproductionone third of the linefore their eies, such veiles
flawed-reproductionone third of the lineand make them see their flawed-reproductioncatchword E7r
owne great miseries, and the incomprehensible
goodnes of God, to the end that
reknowledging al their wealth to come
of God, they may render him al
honor, laude, and glorie, by
Christ our Lord.

Amen.

How it ought to be answered to
them that lament that God hath
created them foreseyng theyr
dampnacion: the eyght
Sermon.

There are many, the which
although of god they have
their being, & manie other
benefites, neverthelesse
they thanke him not, but
are ungratefull. They are
sory, and lament of all the wealth they
have had of him, saying: “lord, if the being
where thou hast geven us, with the rest
of thy gifts, did serve us to slavacion, we
shuld thanke the therfore: But bicause
they serve us not, but to dampnaciōon, therfore
we can not but complayne us of the.”

Nowe to these ought to be answered
flawed-reproductionone word Eyther you beleve to be of the elect or not, E7v
or not. If they saye “yea”: it ought to be
sayd to them, “ye shuld thanke God of so
much grace, that he hath shewed to you
already, in chosinge you from so base a
being, to so high an estate, and you lamēent
your selves: behold if your ingratitude
be greate.”
And if they wold say “we are
not sory for our selves, for we beleve to
be elect, but for compassiōon on those poore
ones the reprobate.”
Then I wold to be
sayed, “it is not true pitie to have compassion
upon thēem, that are ungodlye, against
the devine goodnes, shewed cheifly in
Christ crucified. Thincke you happely,
to have more charitye then God? take
heede that your demaund, wherfore god
hath create the reprobate, grow not of
the doubt, that God can do them any injustice,
Do ye feare that God, being very Eph, 1
rightuousnes, yea charitie it selfe, can do
them any wrong? But if you lively and
verilie did beleve to be elect by Christ,
by mere grace and mercy of god, ye shuld
feale in such sort the devine goodnes, that
thers cold not enter into your mind so
ungodlie conceytes. They are in good cu-
flawed-reproductionfive sixths of the lineThey flawed-reproductioncatchword E8r
are in the power of one which never did
nor may do, one of the least cruelties, yea
he never doth justice, but it is with great
mercie. Will ye knowe more of the devine
secretes then Paule? which rapt to 1. Cor, 1
the third heaven, heard thinges so high &
so secrete, that to man it is not lawful to
be spokēen of? It suffised him onlie to know 1. Cor, 1
Christ crucified. Is it not thincke ye
inoughinough to you to knowe christ crucified,
in whom are hidden all the treasures of
the wisdome and science of God? And if
that suffice you, in Christ is sene none
but the elect, the reprobate are without
Christ, and in Christ only ought we to
contemplate and behold our election,
your office shuld be to attende to your
selves, to encrease dailye by Christ, 1 Tim, 1–2 charactersflawed-reproduction
in greater knowledge of the bounty of
God, and to make certeyne to the world
with good worckes, your vocation and
election, and not to be so curiousse of
other, forgettinge your selves.”
And if
they wold say, “we doubt and feare also 1. Pet. 1
least we be reprobate, and therfore we
complaine us, and wold know why, he
hath created us, forseing our dampnacion:on: nowe” E8v
nowe these must be exhorted not to
despaire, but to contemplate and love
in Christ, in whom they shall se them
selves elected. And so they shall not haflawed-reproductionone or two characters
wherof to take occasion to lament, after
it must be sayd to them for as much as
ye do not beleve verely ye be of the elect
it is a signe, that ye have not lively light
of Christ, not of his great benefits, and
not knowing Christ, it behoveth to say
with Paule that ye know not God in veritie,
and that ye are without him. And Gal. 4 Ephe. 11
howe is it possible then, that you being
without god, and without the true knowledge
of him, shuld understand & know
his high secretes? It is not possible to
know soner the devine judgements then
God. Ye be therfore without fayth, and
I prove that it is true, because that if you
had faith, ye shuld se so clerely that God
doth every thing wel and can not eflawed-reproductionone word
that you wold aske none other reason.
And for that who so is without faith, flawed-reproductionone word
franticke concerning the devine thingflawed-reproductionone to three characters
it must needes be sayd that you are euen
so, and now is it a fransi, your demaunding
a reason of the creacion of the reprobate, bate, F1r
neyther shuld it be possible to satisfie
you, till such time your reason were
healed by fayth. Yea while that ye are so
without light supernatural, being therof
not able to conceive, he that shuld serch
to quiet you with resones, shuld also enter
into a fransy with you. Humble then
your selves to God and aske him faith
and not reasones, because that thinges
supernaturall, cāan not be sene but by faith
Insatiable is the golfe of folish and frantike
curiosity, the godly adore the high &
incomprehensible judgementes of God
and with humilitie, they are content to
tast in them by faith, some drop, of the
devine sapience and goodnes: where the
ungodly presuming without faith, have
a will to perce to the inaccessible counsaile
of God, and remaining in darckenes,
become mad & folyshe: ye perceive not
that ye want the true conceivyng of god.
If ye thinke that God may erre, or do any
thing unjustly: you will perhappes adde
light to that perfect light, rule the divine
sapience, correct that infinite goodnes,
judge that judgeles justice, and condeēempne
that supreme mercy and charitie. If thou F.i. didst F1v
didst se the highnes and magnificence of
God, & on the other syde, the basenes & uanitie
of māan, and how in all thinges he
dependeth upon him ye shuld se that he
never punished thēem iun such sorte, that they
deserve not to have a greater punyshemēent,
being so franticke and proud, ye are
not capeable nor worthy to have light of
the hygh judgement of God, yea you deserve
to remayne so cōonfused. And for that, it
is the just judgemēen of God, that for the
earnest peine of your hell, ye shuld go ever
with your troublesome thoughtes, cōompassinge
by such darke and inextricable
mases. Therfore although I could geve
you a reason of al the workes of God, I
wold not do it. Humble you thēen to God, &
aske him faith, for with that only ladder,
we ascend to the intelligēence of the secretes
of God. And thēen whēen ye shall have faith,
seing with clere & supernaturall light, that
god doth all things well, ye shal no more
care for a further reason. And if also thou
shuldest seke it, it shuld be with a godly
mynd to be so much the more able the
better to behold God, in his just and holy
flawed-reproductionthree to five charactersements. And thēen I wold say to you, flawed-reproductioncatchword plus one or zero prior lines of text F2r
that god might have saved al, but he hath
not willed it, yea forseing the dampnacion
of the ungodly, he created them, nor
for to save them, or to the end they shuld Prov. 19
be saved, but to serve him self of thēem, so
much the more to be shewed bright and Rom. 7
glorious, to the world. The which is a
more beutyful, more rich, more happy, &
more wonderfull ordinaunce, then if sin
had never bin in the world. And this is
bicause christ and his elect (of sinne) have
taken occasion, to honoure God more thēen
if the world had everben innocent, and
God with greatest sapience, dyd reduce
all the disordres, into a more mervelous
order, then if the world had never ben
disordred by sinne. If sinne had not bene,
the saints had never bene persecuted, imprisoned,
& slayne, no more Christ crucified.
Where then shuld have bene their
victorie, their Palme, triumphes and
crownes? And if the reprobate wold say:
“we are forced to cōonfesse that God hath done
well to permit the sinnes of the elect, that
after as the prodigal sonne, of his errour
and miseries, toake occasion to open hys
flawed-reproductionalmost half the lineself, yea, & to returne to F.ii. his F2v
his father, to humble him selfe to repent
with hart, & are him pardōon and therby to
taste the fatherly charitie, when he pardoned
him, in more perfecte maner, then
he had done before: so the elect, of their
sinnes take occasion the better to know
thēem selves, and the bountie of God, and it
is no small benefite of God, that he suffer
him selfe to be wounded of his childern,
and beare with it, to the end that some day
opening their eyes, they may se their
great ingratitude, and the excessive love
that he beareth them. God also of these,
may be afterward surely served, at
every noble & great enterpryse, as of thēem
that are altogether his, not only for that
he hath created & preserved thēem, but much
more because that by sinne being lost, with
the bloud of his only begotten sonne, he
hath recovered them. And so was Christ
served of Paul, and of his other mighty
champions, we must of force confesse also,
that God doeth well to permitte the
sinnes of the reprobate to excercise the
flawed-reproductionhalf the line greater triumphe
flawed-reproductionfive sixth of the linemeth flawed-reproductioncatchword plus zero or one preceding lines F3r
that God had served his tourne with thēem,
he should touch their hert, and geve them
his knowledge, & his grace, so that they
also of their sinnes should take occasion,
to reknowledge their vice, and the goodnes
of God, so that they might be saved,”
to
them ye ought to say: sence ye confesse,
that God hath done well, to permitte the
sinnes of the reprobate, ye can not deny,
but that for thēem they deserve to be dampned.
Ye are also forced to say, that God
dampneth thēem justly, sence that thy have
sinned: God then doth wel to permitte
them to sinne, and whēen they have sinned,
he may justly damne them because that
voluntarilie they did sinne, and the falte
was theires and not Goddes. Ye can not
then complayne you of God, if he dampne
you, but are constrayned to saye he
doth well.”
And if they saye it is true, but
yet it shuld seme us to be better, and
with his greater glory, if after he were
served of them, he wold save them: To
these I answere first that is best, which
pleaseth God, and because it pleaseth
him to dampne thēem, therfore that is best.
Then if God in the end of the life, shuld F.iij. geue F3v
geve light to all. And so at last every one
shuld converte, they wold do manie more
enormious sinnes thēen they do. For the
ungodlye wold say, “we may do every
evell, let us take our pleasure and live
frelie, without any feare, for every way
in the end we shalbe saved.”
And for that
one only sinne is worse thēen al the peines
of the dampned, therfore it is best, that
they be dampned. Theire dampnation
serveth also to the elect, in as much as the
servaunt which whēen he seeth justice done
to his felowe servaūunt that before would
have strangled him, knoweth the goodnes
of his Lorde, and the malignitie of
the man: so the elect, by seying in the
dampned the justice of God, do come to
more knowledge of his mercy & justice,
and also of theyr owne miserie. God is
served then of the reprobate; to illustrate
and setforth his glory, and useth them
for instruments, not only whyle they
are in this life, but in death and in hell.
His glorie also is more discovered (as
Paul writteth () by having in his great
house vessels of gold, of sylvor, of woode,
and earth, of mercy, and of wrath. But let vs F4r
let us thanke God that he hath elected
us, and praye him that he geve us so much
light of his goodnes, and so much fervencie,
that although he wold ever be angry
with us, not onely we should be content,
but that we hold it for a singuler priviledge,
that he will vouch safe in such maner
to serve him selfe of us, to thende
that in every state and for ever,
we may render him al
laude, honour, andand glorie,
by Jesus Christ
our Lord.

Amen.

Wherfore God hath
elected us: the nynthe
Sermon.

It shuld be no
lesse then a very folyshenes,
when one entending
to speake of colores,
shuld bring in the opinion
of one that is borne blynd, F.iiij. and not F4v
and not illuminate by miracle. So is it
madnesse in the thing supernaturall, to
alledge the judgement of them that are
not inspired but with naturall understāanding.
And by adventure have talked, of
high, hidde and devine secretes, even as
it hath seemed well, in their owne blind
and darke understanding, having therby
their eyes ever open, to magnifie man.
Now because that of the supernaturall
matters, there is so much knowne as is
reveled and opened to us. Therefore lokinge
in the holy scriptures I finde that Ephe. 3
God hath elected us by Christ, that is, that
God loking in the progeny of Adam, saw
nothing there that was worthy of our election:
but tourning the regarde to his
owne goodnes and Christes, in whom he Math. 3 Eph. 1.
was so well pleased, that by him he dyd
electe us, he therfore chose us not bicause
we were holy, but because we should be,
so that the devine grace found no saintes
but made saints. Therfore did Paul give
thanckes to God, that had made us mete
to the enheritaunce of saintes. He chose
us then because it pleased him so, for he
loved us freelye without seeing in us any thing F5r
thing worthy thereof. Hee elected us (as
writeth Paule) after the decreed purpose
of his owne will, to the laude and glory Ephe. 1
of his free mercy and not for our works.
So that not because we were juste and
worthy in his sight, did he electe and call Rom. 8.
us, but (as Paule saieth) bicause he hath
elected, therfore he doeth call, justifie and
glorifie us. In such sorte, that he willed
not the ende for the beginning sake, but
the beginning for the ende sake. Hee hath
saved us, after Paule not by the workes
that we have done, but by his mercy. In
a nother place he saieth, that he hath delivered
and called us with his hoyle vocacion 1. Timo. 1
not after our workes but according
to his purposed mercie, given all readie
to us before the creacion of the world:
so then, as of the secretes reveled to the
littel ones and hidden from the wise and
prudēent Christ did give none other cause,
but for that so it pleased the father, so of Math. 1flawed-reproductionone numerical character
our election there may no cause be alleged,
but only because it is the pleasure of
God. Paule willeth that the purpose that
God hath made us, may not depende upon
our workes, because it shoulde not be F.v. firme F5v
firme as it is, nor we sure, as Christe Roma. 9 Johv. 10 Rom. 8. Rom. 9
sayth we are, and Paul also. If thou woldest
say, that Paule to the Romains spake
of the election of Jacob and Esau, concerning
the first byrth, and not concerning
the heavenly inheritaunce, I would answer
that Paule with that trope doth declare
the maner of the eternall election
to Paradise, otherwise the eleccion of Iacob,
should be in vain, in the which is sene
(touching the thinges of the present life)
nothing but calamitie and trouble. But
the principall intent of Paule is to prove
that although the carnal Hebrues be not
saved, it resteth not therfore, that Jesus
is not the Messias, for that the promises
were made of the spiritual Hebrues, the
which in faith do imitate & folow Abraham,
& they are the elect. When god also Mala. 1
in Mala. sheweth to the Jues that he hath
loved thēem, because he loved Jacob of whōom
they descended, and hated Esau: His reason
had bene unuaavilable if God did love
and chose by workes.

flawed-reproductionfive sixths of the line if thou
flawed-reproductionsix sevenths of the line be-flawed-reproductioncatchword plus one entire line F6r
and in like case thou woldest have done Rom. 9
to Esau and the Gentils, if thou haddest
foresene any good workes in them. But
Paule sheweth that the Messias is come
also to the Gentils, because God geveth
his gifts with out having respect to workes.
If thou demaund wherfore he hath
elected them? Paule answereth, because
it is written: “I will shew mercy on whōom
it pleaseth mee.”
Therefore Paule doth inferre Rom. 9
and bring in, that Paradise is not
his that will, nor that runneth or laboreth
bo by him self to get it: but his that
God will shewe mercye unto. He might
also have answered, that although God
hated Esau, before he was borne, and before
he did sinne, he is not therfore wicked;
for he had him not in hate or hee dyd
force his wickednesse. But he sayth that
he doth indurate whome he will, to set
forth the brightnes of his glorye. And
to his purpose he doth allege the example
of Pharao. Now tell mee howe it is possible
that God can force in us anye good, if
he determine not to geve it us? Thou
wilt say, he saw that some could use wel fre
wil, & some not, therfore he chose the first, & refused F6v
refused the seconde, they could not use it 1. Cor, 4
well, wythout his grace.

Wherefore then dyd he determine to
geve that grace of well using to the one
and not to the other?

It behoveth to returne to the devine
wil, and saye, because it pleased him not:
for the using well of free wil is the effect
and fruit and not the cause of election.
Peradventure thou wilt say, he did determine
to geve grace to all, but he sawe
that some wold use it well and those he
chose, and some evell, & those he forsoke,
But tell me, the use of that grace is also
the gift of God, wherfore dyd he not determine
to geve that grace to all, and
also to use it? Thou must needes say at
last also, because it pleased him not. If
thou wilt say, those that used it not well,
was not because they lacked the grace
to use it, no more then the other, but they
did not occupie it when they had it, the
defalt was theires and not of God, nor of
the grace. If it were so, we shuld have
wherin to glory in our selves. But Paul
is in the contrarie, and willeth that to
God ought to be rendred all honour and flawed-reproductioncatchword and one entire line F7r
glorye, so as frōom him methcōmeth commethcommeth al goodnes. Rom. 4 1. Tim. 1 Jac, 1
We might also of our selves, seperate
us frōom the reprobate, & so our hope shuld
not be al wholy in God, our slavacion
could not be certeyn and suer, as Christ
sayd: nor the cause of our election so hid,
as Paule sayth it is, yea fre mercie shuld Joh. 10 Rom. 4 6
9. and 11.

be no more fre mercy, if we might be
saved by worckes and paradise shuld be
a reward, and not a gift cleane against
Paule. The Hebrues dyd mo worckes
thē the gentils, and nevertheles he did
chose the gentils, & reproved the Jewes,
that sought to be justified by theyr workes.
God from the beginning foresawe in us
nothing but repugnancie and rebellion
agaynst his grace, being by the sinne of
Adam, the children or ire, prove, and enclined Ephe. 2 Gen. 8 Rom. 11 Psal. 17 2. Reg. 22 Psal. 44 1. Cor. 2 Jaco. 1 John. 15
to all evil. Paule callet our electiōon,
the eleccion of fre mercie. David sayth:
“he saved me, because he loved me, and
because it pleased him.”
He saveth then
his elect because he deliteth in them, and
distributeth his mercy, after his owne
will. Then he that begotten us voluntarily
by mere mercye, and not by our
workes: so that the xii. Apostels dyd not chose F7v
chose Christ, but he chose them to the Apostelship.
So we be not they that have
chosen God to save us, but god is he that
hath chosen us to slavaciōon. Even as Paul
was called without workes by free mercy,
because it pleased God: so he was Act. 9 Gal. 1 1. Tim. 1 Ephe. 2
elected to shew his mercie, & the aboundaunt
riches of his glorie. It is humilitie
it selfe, to beleve that we are chosen
by grace. This opinion geveth al glory
to God, and to us only confusion. And
because we can not erre in glorifying
to much the free mercie and bountie of
God, and abating the pryde of māan. Therfore
it is most sure, yea, although it stode
not with the holy scriptures, as it doth.
And the more it displeaseth the carnall
man, because it cōonfoundeth al his glorie,
so much the more it is pleasing to the
spirituall, because it magnifieth God,
Christ his fre mercy, & the Gospell. And
flawed-reproductionone to three characters say my opinion, it pleaseth me best, to
flawed-reproductionone to five characters wholy in the hand of God. Yea if
flawed-reproductionone to two words elecciōon wer in my custodie, I wold
flawed-reproductiontwo to three words render it unto god, in whose
flawed-reproductionentire line minus one word more flawed-reproductioncatchword plus one or zero additional lines F8r
it did depend upon our selves. Se then
what becommeth of them that imagine
(although falsely) that it dependeth only
upon the goodly workes that they do, to
make them selves elected again, wher
on the other partie, thou shalt se, that those
which with lively faith, beleve to be by
the mere mercy of God, and by the death
of Christ, in the number of the elect, and
sonnes of god (for that they fele in christ,
and by Christ, the great charitie of god,)
are by strength of the spirite and love,
forced to do worckes to bee wondered at:
not seruile, for they see thēem selves heyrs,
but the worckes of a sonne, sincere and
pure to the glorie of their lyvely father,
beyng prevented by love.

If thou wouldest beleve, we are not
worthy to be so elected by free mercye,
I would aunswere, neyther that Christ
should suffer for us upon the Crosse,
but dyd he not therfore die? Christe
hath not elected us, because we were
worthy therof, but for the glorie of hys
goodnes? The cause of our eleccion is Ephe. 1
not then to bee sought, but at the divine
will.

Of the F8v

Of the reprobate, I entend not to dispute,
wherfore God hath cast them of because
it is neyther nedeful to us, nor profitable
to knowe. It serveth to humble
us, & to know better the great goodnesse
of God, that wee are elected by his grace,
and not by our workes.

The Christian ought to beleve to be Ephe. 1 1. Cor, 2. 5
one of the chosen, and it ought to suffise
him to have Christ for his booke, in the
which he seeth him selfe elect, & to knowe
that that apperteyneth to him. And although
Paule to the Romanes spake a word therof,
it was but incidently or by the way,
for it doth apeare it was not his principal
intent to seke the causecause wherfore god
doth reprobate and caste them of. It is
inough for us to thinke that the omnipotencie
of God, beyng infinitie, hath neyther
limites nor bondes, therfore may
he do with his creatures with out contradiccion:
and the devine wil may do of
them, determine and will all that, that
with his whole power he may do, beyng
the whole ruler, and necessarily most
flawed-reproductionone to two words in al his wil, yea the very righteous-
flawed-reproductionone to two words selfe. Wherforeflawed-reproductionone word, seven to eight characters the flawed-reproductioncatchword G1r
bright and light judgments of god, let us
beleve that god doth not condemp ne, but
with just and irreprehensible counsaile,
albeit the justice of his judgements be to
us incomprehensible, and that none is in
hell, but by his own wickednes: Our office Roma. 13
is then to humble us, and content us
in the divine wil, reknowleging that we
be not worthy, although we suffer al punishment,
to set forth the brightnes
of the glorye of God, to whome,
for all his workes, is due al
honoure, laude and glorye
by Jesus Christ
our Lord.

Amen.

Whether the electe can be damned
or not: the tenth Sermon.

As it is written, god seeth Barn. 3 1. Joh. 3. 2. Thess. 2
from the beginning & for
ever all thinges, and hath
of al, certeyne & infallible
sciēence, & perticularly knoweth
his electe, their lyfe
and their end. So then as God, by the necessitie
of his being cannot be corrupted, G.i. neither G1v
neyther diminish nor augmēent, being infinite
and without ende, nor be altered,
being most simple and pure, nor chaung
place, being unmeasurable, filling al places:
so also may not his determinacions Rom. 9.
be chaunged: neyther by ignoraunce for
lacke of foresight and consideracion, neyther
for default of power, since he cannot
be letted or weakened, nor his wil resisted.
Neyther may he chaunge by malice,
or for want of plentifull goodnes, for hys
purposes are moste good and firme. God Mala. 3.
thēen is immutual in al his doings, chaungeth
not as children, nor lyke olde men,
but as David sayth: “The counsayle of the
Lord shall stand for ever”
: that must needes
be that God hath determined, neither is
it in our power to chaunge his purpose,
disturbe the divine counsayles, destroye
divine ordinaunces, nor lette his will,
which is empresse, & owres of the hande
mayden. Therefore what God willeth
muste bee, and not that he must wil after
our fantasie. Nowe because we are not
to be elected, but (as Paule writeth) god flawed-reproductionone marginal line
flawed-reproductionone to two wordscted us, before the constitucion
flawed-reproductionone entire line plus catchword G2r
immutable, it is of force therfore to bee
as he hath determined. So likewise hee
seeth and knoweth all thinges from the
beginning, with certeine and infallible
knowledge: it is therfore necessitie that,
that bee, which he hath foreseene, or elles
is must nedes be that God may chaunge,
and that of our lyfe and end he hath no
perfecte knowledge, but a doubtfull opinion,
wherein also he maye be beguiled,
and that saying wer a most wickednes.
Thou wilt say to me, thou arte deceived
in imagining that above is tyme, & succession
of tyme, and that God hath foreseene
and determined all that is yet to
be, so that his determinacion and knowledge
is already passed, in such sort, that
he cannot otherwayes knowe, nor will,
withoute his chaunge which is impossible.
And therefore thou judgest it necessitie,
that all that come to passe, which hee
hath foreseene and determined. But it is
not so, for above ther is no end or succession
of tyme, night nor day, neyther was
nor shalbe, as there is heere underneath
the Heavens, there is onlye all the present
tyme, and only one most cleere day G.ij. of G2v
of one inseperable instaunte, the which
by his eternitie extendeth to the succession
& processe of all time. And I answere,
that I know right wel, that to God every
thing is present, although being under
this celestiall Sphere, where is folowing
of tyme to make us better understand,
we use with Paule to say hee hath
elected us: but tel mee doest thou beleve
that the election of those that are in this
present lyfe, and likewise those that shal
be, is now in being in effect and present
before God, or not.

If thou sayest no, then shall it never bee,
for with him is no time to come. If thou
say yea, then may it not be without mutacion
in God, sence thou graunteste it
once to bee.

If thou wouldest say it might be nobeing
yet it coulde not be no being, but in
the instaunt of the godhead, in which thou
grauntest al things to be, for as much as
above is no succession or course of time,
& so in that self insta¯unt indivisible, thou
woldest have it possible, not to be ani being
& yet a being: forasmuch as it is not
flawed-reproduction4-6 charactersherfore if thou cōonsent that God (I say not G3r
not hath sene) but doth se & determine al
thinges, sence that God is immutable, and
his science infallible, and that ther is no
course of tyme, by all meanes, likewise
it is to be said, that, that must nedes bee,
which God with perfect infallible knowledge
doth forese, & stedfastly determine.
Because that (if with God there were any
time past) even as that could not, not
be which God had foresene by his infallible
prescience, & immutably determined:
no more can that thing not be, which
he doth presently see & determine. Thou
wilt say, “I graunt that all that shall bee,
which God doth forese and ordeine, and
so god shal not be begiled, nor yit chaūung,
but yet nevertheles it might be the cōontrary,
although it shall never bee.”
But thou
seest not how thou art deceived, thou grāantest
that al the elect shal be saved, nevertheles
thou sayst they may be damned: And
wherto serveth this, it mai be, if in effect
they shal not be dampned. Therfore this
argueth but in words, it is curiouse and
unprofitable. Nowe, as if thou wouldest
graunt that an elect could be damned, thou
shouldest be forced to say that God may G.iij. chaunge. G3v
chaunge. Therfore thou sayest, that all
may be saved, which argueth yet that the
elect may be damned, and so thou must
nedes confesse, that God may also be beguiled,
& vary in his ordinaunce, which
is impossible. That the elect then may be
dampned, it is a thing false, hereticall, &
unpossible:: it can not be verefied by no
sentence compound nor derived, sence
that in God can be no mutacion nor succession.
Therfore if he be elect, he must
nedes be saved, & it must nedes be sayd,
that the election of them that shall be saved
(I will not say hath ben but standing in
that eternitie) is in being because that if
it were not nowe, it shulde not be hereafter,
sence ther neither is, nor cāan be with
god, but alway the presēent tyme. Thēen god
having in his divine mind geven us paradise
from the beginning, and when he Rom, 11
geveth never repēenteth (as Paule writeth)
it is of necessitie to say that the elect be
saved. Paule writeth that the election of
God is firme, and the divine purposes
stedfast, and that the Lord knoweth his
with perfect infallible knowledge, which Rom, 4 Rom, 9
ought to be to us a sure foundacion, wher- G4r
whereupon we may stablish undoubted
fayth of our salvacion. To this purpose
Paule sayd, that those that god hath knowen
for his, and therfore elected & purposed
to save thēem, those he hath predestinate
to be conformable to the Image of
his sonne, and those, having them after
created, he doth call with an inward calling,
in such sorte, that they answere agayn,
for because they are the sonnes of
God, therfore they heare hys voyce, and
beleve by being ordeyned to eternall
lyfe. Yea he draweth them, and geveth
them a newe hart, and these that he calleth
he justifieth, he geveth them Christ,
and the lyght of him, fayth, hope, and
charitie, and all other Christian vertues
appareling them, he doth enrich
them with many gifts, treasures, and
graces, and afterward doth happely
glorifie them. Therfore from the fyrst
to the least it foloweth, that the elect
must nedes be saved. Paule added and
sayd: “if God be with us, who can be
agaynst us:”
meaning, if God hath elected
us, and determined to save us, he being
omnipotent, and hath taken uponG.iiij. on him G4v
him this enterprise to save us, who
shal let him? Yea he would have sayd, no Joh. 10
man, because that Christ sayd, none cāan take
them out of the hands of my father: it happeneth
not to God as to māan, which many
times doth will a thing, seketh and
can not fynde, as the Hebrewes, which Rom. 11
sought theyr salvacion, and could not
atchieve it, and that because they sought
it not by Christ, by fre mercy, nor by
faith, but by works. It is not so with god
because that he, when he willeth any thing,
it commeth to passe, and his election
(as writeth Paule) commeth to effect. John. 10.
11. andand. 17

Moreover God hath geven his elect to
Christ, and draweth them to hym, and
those that goe to him drawen of the father,
he chaseth not away, as him self sayd: he
loseth them not, but knoweth them for
his shepe, he calleth them to hym, they
heare his voyce, he prayeth for thēem most
effectuously, and is ever heard. For them
he shed hys bloud, and gave his lyfe, evēen Mat. 15.
as for them onely he was sente, & came
into the world, to them he doth manifeste
God, geveth them lyfe, and maketh
them happy. They are then in good G5r
good handes, being in Christes, out of the
which none shall take them, as him selfe
hath sayd. They may perish that are the Jhon. 11.
and. 17

sonnes of perdicion, as Judas, but not the
children of election. The elect are sure,
for ther was never none of thēem that perished
speaking of the false Prophets which Mat. 13
should be in the kingdome of Antichrist, he
sayd they should seduce the very elect, if
it were possible, for to shewe that it was
not possible, yea for theyr sakes, those
dayes shall be shortened.

All that God hath wrought and shall
worke is for his elect, for whom he dyd
create the world, and preserve the same,
sent Christ into the world, and willed
that for them he should dye upōon the crosse,
for them he hath most speciall care. If
God made such accompt of the Hebrues, Deut. 15
that to thend their name should not be
forgotten on the earth, he dyd ordeine,
that if the fyrst brother died without
child, the second was bound to rayse
up sede to his brother: thinkest thou that
he will not make rekening of his elect
whose names are writtēen in heavēen? Yea,
I wyll thou know, that although Christ Luk. 10 G.v. be he G5v
be he, by whose meanes al the elect are
saved, neverthelesse not by his impotencie,
being geven to him all power, but because
the thing of it selfe is impossible.
Christ can not save a reprobate, nor Mat, 10 Mat, 28
damne an elect. Nowe much lesse is it in
our power, if we be elect, to dampne our
selves, or if we be reprobate to save our
selves, yet ought we not to cease to work
well, because that if we are sure to be
dampned, we are yet bound every way,
for his infinite goodnes, most hyghly to
honour him. Let us then geve thankes to
God that hath not only be mere mercy
elected us for his, but to thend we myght
be sure of our salvacion, hath ordeined
that our dampnacion shall not lye in our
owne power (beyng his elect) and with
this geveth us suche grace, that we may
in this present life, render him all
laude, honour, & glorie, by Jesus
Christ
our Lord.

Amēen.

Whether God do agravate, harden
and blind the hearts of men or
not, and in what maner: the
eleventh Sermon.

It is G6r

It is read in the holy scriptures,
that God put in 2. Reg. 16 3. Reg. 29 2. Reg. 24 Exod. 1. 7
10. 11, &
14.
Esau. 63 John. 12 1 Cor. 4 Rom. 9. &
11.
Gal, 3

Saul a wicked spirite to
vexe him and a lying spirite
in the mouth of the
Prophets to beguyle Achab,
and that by Sathāan he moved that
hert of David to nūumber the people against
his precept. And moreover he doth hardēen
blynd, and make grosse the harts of persons,
and geveth them over into a perverse
mind. And Paul writeth, that he
hath shut up al mēen in unbelief and sinne.
And although many held for ungodlines
this maner of speaking, & therfore they
do not only abstayn frōom pronouncing such
like words, but also go about to expound
& make thēem better, amending thēem after theyr phantasie,
to such a way, that they have a kind of
godlines therin. And I thinke they are
moved to do this, to thend that of these
things men should not take occasion to
thinke that God were the cause of sinne, or
els to imagine with the Maniches to be
ii. first beginnings, the one good, cause of
the good, the other evell, cause of the euell. G6v
evell. Nevertheles I will not, ought not,
may not will to be more holy then God,
that speaketh in holy scriptures. And it
is more wickednes to will to correct the
tongue of the holy gost, because that none
speaketh nor can speake more circūumspectly
thēen he, nor with greater thyrst of our
salvacion, thou the zeale and honour of
God. With al this every one ought to
knowe that we are the cause of sinne &
not God: yea it can not be thought, that
God is a God, if it be not thought that he
is wythout faulte, without evel, infinitely
good and just. Therfore as to us is
due all confusion, ignominie, dishonor,
reproche and evell, so to God all honor,
laude, & glorye. It is not evel then to pronoūunce
these wordes, in the maner that they
are written, saying that God doth agravate,
harden, and blind, but it is good.

Thou wilt say, “tel me how these words
are to be understand, that God doth
harden, blind, and such like: so that therby
I may not take any occasiōon of offence.”

I aunswere, that after the opinion of
some. God doth harden, and so blind the
herte of a person, in as much as he foreseethseeth and G7r
and fore preacheth his hardnes,
as he did forese & foresay the obstinacie
of Pharao. But knowe thou, that whēen he
sayd to Moyses, “‘I will harden the hert of
Pharao,’”
he wold not onelie say, “I foresee
that he will be hard herted, and I tell it
thee before, for then the words which he
spake after, should not have agreed therwith,
which were for to shewe my power:
that my name may be declared
throwghout the whole world.”

But with those wordes he threatened
to punishe him, as it is read that he punished
mo people for theyr sinnes, with
blinding thēem, hardening ēem, with letting
them do after theyr desyres of theyr own
hertes, geving them over into a froward Deut. 2 Esat. 6 Joh. 12 Psal. 80. Rom. 1
mind, in passions and shamefull effects.

Therefore there are some which say,
that God many tymes doth harden and
blind sinners, whēen suffering, yea geving
them prosperitie, and distributing his
mercy and benefites, when they ought
to open theyr eyes to so great benignities
of him, & be invited therby to repent
and chaung theyr lyfe, they, of this bountie
of God take occasiōon to become worse, euery G7v
every daye more blind & indurate. But
I say that the vertue & also the vice standeth
not in prosperitie nor yet in adversitie,
but in the men them selves. So that
as to the elect every thing worketh to salvacion,
and by the special grace that they Rom. 8
have of God serve him in adversitie as
in prosperitie: so to the reprobate, every
thing serveth contrarie, and hurteth, yet
by theyr defaltes as not only prosperitie
& adversitie, but also the preaching of the
Gospell, and the miracles do hurt and
hinder thēem. Therfore Paule sayd, that as
to the elect, Christ was the odour of life, 2. Cor. 2
so to the reprobat, he was the odour of
death. If is nedefull then to say that god
doth harden and blynd the hartes of the
reprobate, not because he geveth them
adversitie or prosperitie, nor because he
suffereth them, and sheweth them many
benefites, but for that he geveth thēemnot
grace to use them, and the commoditie
therof, to the glory of God: It may be
truly sayd that he doth harden and blind
the harts of the sinners, when he taketh
from them, or geveth thēem not his grace,
nor the understanding of his will, becausecause G8r
that in such case, it is force that
man remayne blind and indurate, and
that every thing serve thēem, to the dishonor
of God, wher as if they had that inward
grace even of theyr sinnes, they should
take occasion to honour him. God doth
blind men, when withdrawing his Deu. 31
light, he hideth his face, and as Moyses
was vailed, so spredeth he the vaile of
ignoraunce over the hart of the reprobate:
so that God in withdrawing the 2. Cor. 3
light of his grace, blindeth the hartes of
infidels, in such sorte, that not only the Gospel
is hid frōom them (as Paul writeth) and
they erre, but standing in the darckenes,
they can not beleve. And so also doth he 2 Thess. 1 John. 12
harden, not for that he geveth prosperitie
or adversitie (of the which the elect also
are partakers) nor because he withdraweth
not the grace, but the sweetnes
and the sensuall feeling therof, of the
which many saintes wer voyde: nor yet
for that he moveth their hearts to evell,
or cause in them any obstinacie or evell Ezec. 11
qualitie: but only in withdrawing hys
grace, which molifieth a hart of stone &
maketh it fleshe, it is of necessitie that the hart G8v
hert remain hardened. And likewyse
he chaseth away the sinner, when he doth
not call him, and draw hym to him before.
Yet for all this God sinneth not,
for he is not holden nor bound to geve us
this grace, he may harden and molifie after
his own pleasure, yea the sinner meriteth
not only to be punished with paine
and privacion of paradise, but also with
privacion of his grace: and that this is
true, judge, if God had killed Pharao,
when he caused all the Hebrues children
to be cast into the floude: wouldest thou
have sayd that God had bene unjuste?
Surely no. And yet if then he had dyed,
he had ben damned, and remained obstinate
for ever. Wherfore might not God
execute justly, the same sentence, as concerning
blynding and hardening, upon
others, with withdrawing his grace?
And on the other partie (as they are preserued)served)
that shall be not amisse to preserve
him in life for a few mo dayes to be served
of him, as of an instrument of wrath
prepared from the beginning, to exercise
flawed-reproductionhalf the line, to thende that delive-
flawed-reproductionhalf the line, they myght knowe the great H1r
the great goodnes, power, and justice of
God. And so being his name celebrate Roma. 9
throughout the world, hee might be feared
and loved. And finally all to his own glorye,
as writeth Paule and Moyses. The Cro. 24 Psal. 31obscuredone character
judgements that we geve upon the secrets
of God, are very madnes, if by faith wee Rom. 8.
do not enter into his sanctuary. God doth
inwardly call the elect, as Paul writeth,
and they beleve that God, as theyr only
father, wil never forsake them, but shall
endue them with such grace, that al things
shal serve them to salvation, even sinne,
in the which God will never let thēem fall,
but for their benifite. They are not offēended
to heare say, that God, by abstaining Rom. 8
his grace from the ungodly, doth blinde,
and harden theyr hartes, but understanding
by fayth, to be in the number of the
elect, and knowing that God saveth not
but by mercy, & damneth not but justly,
so much the more are they moved to live
in pure fear, to humble them selves, and
render thanckes to God, to whome bee
ever all laud, honour, and glory, through
Jesu Christ our Lord.

Amen.

H.i.
Howe H1v

How God doth dispose his
grace: the twelfe Sermon.

There are manye which
thinke that god to every
one continually doth offer
his grace, and that it
is in the power of man
to accept it or not, as
though they had it in a boudget, & were
in their arbitrement to open and take
at their owne wil. And that of this their
dead, false, & erronious opinion, groweth
that they live most wickedly, thinking
and saying, “God never fayleth with his
grace, and it is at our choyse to receive
it at our wyll.”

Therefore we may take leisure & live a
vicious life after our owne way, for we
shall be saved alwayes, a momēent of time
is enough for us to repent and be saved,
sence it is in our power. Therfore for to
flye such an evil, I have judged it good to
shew that it is not so. It is no doute that
god hath created the world for his elect,
so that if god had foreseene that none shuld
have ben saved, he wold not have created it. For H2r
it. For then also he did preserve it, to thēem Heb. 1 1. Cor 1. Rom. 8
he hath geven the Aungels for kepers,
and of them as a father he hath most singuler
care and providence. God wyl not
suffer that they be tempted above theyr
power, yea every thing worketh & serveth
wel to theyr salvaciōon. Seven times Pro 24
in a day the just shall fall, & ryse againe,
because God is with them, and helpeth
them in such sort, that the more they are
in great perils & necessitie, so much the
more is god beneficiall to them. For thēem
god gave the law to the world, sent Moses
and the Prophets, them he calleth inwardly
in such maner, that they heare
his voice, and answere him, of them he
molifieth the hearte, and draweth them
to Christ, as the Adamant doth Iron: If
they erre, he doth correct and chasten thēem
as chyldren, as it is read of David, to thēem Psal. 31 John. flawed-reproductionone numerical character0 John 9
he doth not impute their sinne, he doth
quicken and glorify them, and finally al
that god hath wrought, and shall worke
for him self, is for the elect, for thēem he sent
Christ, & whēen he came, for them he toke
upon him their sinnes, onely for them he
praied, for them he wepte, preached, and H.ij. dyd H2v
did miracles, for them he shed his blud,
died, rose, ascended into heaven, sent the
holy ghost, & shal come to judge the quick
and the dead: yea all that he hath suffered,
wrought and shall worke, is for the
electe, whome hee loveth in so excessive
maner, that he doth attribute to him self
all that is done to them. God then being John. 10
gratified with the electe in Christ, doeth
geve unto them his spirit, the lively lighte
of him, fayth, hope, with all the reste of
vertues and graces essenciall and necessari
to salvaciōon. And moreover he geveth
them grace to use in the honor of God, and
be served in his glory, of all the gifts and
graces which may be comune both to the
good, and to the evel, to be used well and
evel, as riches, honour, dignitie, health,
long lyfe, children, freindes, science, the
giftes of the tongue, to do miracles and
suche like. Of them in parte, Paule made
mencion, wryting to the Corinthians. 1. Cor 12.
And also geveth them grace to use in his
glorye, povertie, ignomine, infamie, infirmitie,
with all adversitie, and the pri-
flawed-reproductionover one third of the linetes, even to the death,
flawed-reproductionhalf the lineche grace that with flawed-reproductioncatchword H3r
every wind, they sayle to the porte, and
they knowe that they are no lesse bound
to thanke God when they are without
such gifts, and in all adversitie, then
when they have such things with the
prosperitie of the world, sence that by the
grace which god geveth them, all things
worke to good. Therfore they are ever
contented to bee in the state which pleaseth
the Lord, neyther wold they chaung it,
if they might (without the will of God)
and only for that they fele the divine goodnes,
no lesse in adversitie then in the
worldly prosperitie. In thend when they
are fallen to any sinne, god openeth their
eyes, and maketh them see, not only the
evell that they have done, but also that he
hath so permitted it for their benefite, to
the end they may the better know theyr
owne miseries and the bountie of God.
But speaking of the reprobate, I say,
that it is enough for us to knowe that
God is not bound, nor necessited to geve
them his grace for theyr good worckes:
because that the grace findeth not good
worckes, but doth make thēem to be done.
g
od neither hath, nor may have any bond H.iij. with H3v
with his creatures. The bondes are all
oures with God, & so much the more, as
that we being all lost in Adam, he might
justly, not only abandon us, but damne &
punishe us. He is not also compelled of
his perfecte goodnes, mercie and charitie,
to not have created the world, he myght
nowe bring it to nothing, and dispose all
creatures after his owne way, being stil
most perfectly just, as he is nowe, and
was from without beginning, before he
did create the world. God may geve of his Matt. 20
grace as much as it pleaseth him, whēen &
to whome he thinketh good, yea, and not
to geve it without being unjust, or doing
any injurie. God also hath ben of power,
without doing any unrighteousnes, to
create the reprobate, forseing theyr damnacion,
to serve his owne turne, and to
use them for instrumentes, or exercise
the elect in vertue, to the ende that their
victories and triumphes, and likewise
Christes, might be the more glorious, &
finally all for his owne greater glorye.

And moreover I say, that Christ hydeth
hym selfe and hys grace many John. 7 Prove. 1
times from persons, so that although they H4r
they seeke hym, crie after him, and recommēend
thēem selves to him, they find him
not, nor he heareth thēem not, notwithstanding
those such as are not moved to seke
him, or cōommit them selves to him, by the
spirite, nor for the zeale of the honour of
God, but for their proper interest, yea &
many times he doth blind and indurate
thethe people, and all is most justlie done.
And although it be writen that God hath
cure of all, calleth all, doth rayne and
power his grace upon all, and like sentences:
sen I say, it is to be undersstand,
that he hath cure of all ingenerall, but of
the elect in speciall, and so he calleth all,
with a vocation universall, but the elect
with an inward an singuler. When
Paule sayd also, that he wold save all, he
understode that, to be of everie sorte of
persones. His death also was sufficient
to save all, but it is not effectuous but
to the elect, and so where it is written,
that he doth illuminate and geve grace
to al, it is understand of the elect, of those
that are illuminate. Therfore sayd Christ
to the Apostels, “to you it is geven to
knowe the misteries of the kingdome of Mat. 13 Ephe, 2 H.iiij. heauen, H4v
heaven,”
Paule sayd likewise, that he sayth 2. Tessa. 2
which is the gift of God, is not all mens.
It is well true also, that god doth illuminate
all, in asmuch as there is no person
that hath not had some light and knowledge
of god. Let us thēen geve him thanks
sence that of his mere goodnes, he hath
connumerate us among the elect, & pray
we him that he geve us so much light of
his goodnes, that in every place and time
we may render him perfect laude,
honour & glory, by Jesus Christ
our Lord.

Amen.

If man have libertie or not & in
what maner: the .xiij. Sermon.

Some myght thinke it superfluous
for a Christian,
to thincke whether he be
free or not, but that it is inough
to force him selfe to
make al possible resistence agaynst evel,
and his best power to do well, geving all
honor and glory to God, because that in
such a case, they walke to God surely,
neither falling into the depth of ydlenes. But H5r
But herein consisteth the difficultie, in
geving all the glorie to God. Yea it is not
possible that man while arrogantly he
presumeth of him selfe (thinking to do that
which he doth not) can geve al the glory to
god. Therfore have I judged it necessary
to shew what māan cāan do, to thend the being
able to knowe & discerne betwene that
which in dede is his, & that that is Gods,
he can and may render all prayse & laud
unto him to whom of duety it belongeth.
Fyrst, although the being of the creatures,
compared to the being of God (by being
infinitely far from the perfection of the
divine essence) is but a shadow, yea rather Rom. 4
no being, so that truly it may be sayd
that God only is that which is: neverthelesse Exo. 3
with all this, it can not be sayd but
that the creatures have a being, although
imperfect, in comparison of the divine.
And so is it true, that they have vertue,
during the which they work, although
principally in the vertue of God.

Therfore when the Lord had created
the world, he commaunded the earth to
spring, & the waters to bring forth. Thēen
false is the opinion of thēem that Imagine H.v. that H5v
that God, & not the sunne doth geve light,
and God not the fyre doth geve heat, and
so of al the rest of things created, that god
doth worke in thēem, and not the creatures,
but every creature evēen the most vile,
hath his proper vertue, during the which,
it worketh. True it is, that in the creatures
inferiour to man, ther is no libertie
at all, because that being not let, they
must of necessity worke according to the
vertue that they have in the disposition
of things possible or sufferable, directly
set before them as it is sene in burning,
and so it is necessary, they move according
to their vertue, strength, and apetite,
the which is seene in the waters, that
runne to the sea, neither it is in the powere
of living Soules unresonable to
move or not to move weakly or strōongly,
to the objectes that they apetite or desier.
Take away the impedimentes, they must
of necessitie move them selves ther unto
after the measure of the strength, and
apetite they have. Therfore in them is
no libertie at all, as ther is in man, in
whome I cōonsider five sortes of movings,
and operacions. The first are meere naturalturalas H6r
as if a māan shuld voluntarely throw
him self downe, it shuld not be in his lybertie
to withhold him selfe, but shuld be
by his weight, compelled like a stone to
discend even to the earth. True it is, that
the same faul was in his liberty, in as
much as he mighte not have throwen
him selfe downe at all. The second movings,
that I consider in men, are vegitative,
as the growinge when they are
children, and nurishing and such like, the
which also doth plantes. And speaking of
those, I say that they are not in the libertie
of man, saving that he may kill him
selfe, and deprive him of that lyfe which
the trees can not do.

The thyrde are operacions animall,
as to see, heare, and taste, and such like, of
the which speaking, I say, that albeit, it
be in the power of man, not to heare a
voyce that is present without closing his
ears, and so of the other like operacions,
neverthelesse it is in his libertie to shut
up those sences, in the presence of the obiectes
or present things that delight him,
and to withdraw him selfe from them,
and so not to move, or to move to one H6v
one side or another, softly or strongly, as
he will, the which the other anymalles or
living souls cāan not do, being necessitate,
to move according to their appetites.
But speaking of the four operaciōons which
are humain, as to thinck one or an other
thing, to speake or not, in this maner or
in that, to lerne this or that sciēence, to governe
him selfe or other in this way or
in the other, yea not to do, or else to do, al
ways more or lesse, to this or that persōon,
(in case he have goods in power) to fast
watch, pray, to hear the word of God, to
communicate or not, and so of all the other
like operacions, I say, that they are
in the power of man, that is that men
(without other special grace and miracle
but only during the generall influence of
God) have in their power to do them,
and also not to do thēem, and alwayes they
shall do them, if they effectuously shall
will to do them, not being letted of God,
or of some other stronger then they, and
so also shall they not do them being not
forced, & not willing, to do thēem, men are
not images. Yea that they are free in
things humanehumane, it is so cleare, that it can not H7r
not be declared by a rule more knowne,
but speaking of the last worcks, that are
holy, spirituall and devine, the which are
gratefull and acceptable to God, as to
have lively light, & spirituall knowledge
and understanding of god, to have in him
fyrme fayth & hope to love him, honour
him, laud him, and reverence him, with
all thy hart, to order all thy lyfe to his
glory, to obey & commit him selfe wholy
to his governaunce with mortifiyng and
deniyng him selfe, the fleshe & his owne
prudence, and to love his neyghbour as
him selfe, even to his enemies for the
love of god, with the hart to pray for thēem,
and do them all the good possible: And finally
to do such workes to the glorie of
God is not in the libertie of them that
are carnall, & not regenerate by Christ,
because that it is not in theyr power to
have the supernaturall knowledge of God,
sence it is above all their might.

It is not also in theyr power to have
lively faith in God, hope and charitie, for
as much as they are the giftes of God,
divine vertues and supernatural. Therfore
it is not in theyr libertie to honour God H7v
God in any wise as is due to him, and
that is true, let thēem prove to make experience
in them selves, indevering them
to have more knoweledge of God then
they have, to have in hym grater fayth
and hope, and to love him more, and they
shall perceyve that it will not come to
effect: wherof it foloweth that being not in
the power of infidels, & not regenerate by
Christ to love God with all their hart no
nor above al other things, that also it is not
in their power, not to love the thinges
created, but in Christ & by Christ neither
is it in theire power, not to love thēem selves
disordinately, or their parents, frindes,
dignitie, honour, goodes, pleasures, &
the rest of things that are to them profitable,
commodious and delectable, & more
over it lieth not in their power, not to
hate their enemies, so that thou maist se,
how it is in their power, to love thēem specially
spiritually in Christ: & to the glory
of God such like passions and effects, are
not in our power, as every one hath ex-
flawed-reproductionfirst half of wordens continually in hym self.

flawed-reproductiontwo thirds of the linebsteyne from
flawed-reproductionfive sixths of the linedo it, flawed-reproductioncatchword H8r
yea and do his best to healp him, but it
should not be in his power, to love him
in his hart, and much lesse in Christ and
to God.

Therefore al be it, it is in his libertie,
not to kille his enemye, and so to do him
good, neverthelesse it is not in his power
to refraine from killing him, or to do
him any benefite for the glorye of God.
The ungodlye might, with al his connig
and power consider all those things that
serve to the dispraise of the world, to the
mortifiyng of theyr selves, to the loving
of theyr neighbour and also God: yet by
no meanes should they come to such light
of the goodnesse of God, of theyr owne
miseries and vanitie of the world, that
they should love God, to the hate of them
selves, and disprayse of the world, as he
is bound to do.

It is not then in the libertie of the carnall
man to do worcks spirituall, he hath
neede of the grace of God, of fayth, and
knowledge supernatural, nor it is not in
hys power to gette, neyther in all nor in
parte, any gifte of God, grace or spirituall
vertue. Yea before that by Christ H8v
Christ he bee regenerate, he can not neyther
with thinking, desyring, or working,
nor by any other meanes dispose or
prepare him self neither whole nor partlye,
to one of the least graces of God: so
that by those hys thoughtes, desyres, or
works, he may be worthy, or have in all
or in parte deserved that grace.

And moreover I say, that as before his
regeneracion he is ungodly and wicked,
even so is sin in al his thoughts, desires, &
workes and this is, bycause that while
he is carnall, being the servaunt of sinne
and cōoncupisence which reigneth in him,
he is dead to God, and alive to him self,
he neither doth worck nor can worck,
to the glory of God as he is bound, for
want of the lively light of him, but being
as he is carnall and in his owne love he
is moved to worcke, only for his owne
interest, he sinneth then, not for doing al-
2–3 charactersflawed-reproductionst and like works1 punctuation markflawed-reproductionbut for that he flawed-reproductionfive or six lines, plus catchword I1r
absteining, but that he absteineth not for
the love of God as he is bound to do, but
for his owne proper accompte, interest &
utilitie. And so is it true in carnall man,
while he is carnall, sin doth ever reigne, Rom. 8. Rom. 9 Rom. 7
for that he cāan not but sinne, yea and ever
doth sinne continually, because that although
he absteine from homicide, thefte
and committing such like iniquities, neverthelesse
he sinneth ever continually,
in leaving behind him the love of God
with all his hart, as he ought to love his
neyghbour, as him selfe, to worcke for
the helth of his neighbour, and the glorie
of God, as he is bound, absteining for
his honour from all sinne. Their sinnes
are then innumerable, & yet they thinck
in confession to number them all being
then al the works of the carnall, sinne &
worthy of punishment: see how they can
by any meanes be worthy to be rewarded,
and howe they may be true preparacions,
or disposicions to grace? Ther-
flawed-reproductionthree to five charactersas a dead man cāan not rayse him self,
flawed-reproductionfour to six characterscke toward his resurrection, nor
flawed-reproductionone fourth of the lineot, worcke to his creation, so
flawed-reproductionunder half the linethat in Adam is dead, Ephe. 11. I.i. and I1v
and as though he were not cāan not worck Rom. 4
towards his regeneracion and creation,
yea even as a humane bodie without the
soule can not move but downeward, so
the dead soule without the spirit and
Christ, his life, can not lifte him selfe up,
but must of necessitie descēend ever down,
in regarding his own interest. Therfore
he can not but sinne, he must be borne John. 3
agayn to do workes spirituall and holy,
and by our selves we can not be regenerate
by no meanes, for it is only the
worke of God. It is needefull then that
God creating in us a cleane hart do
geve us a new hart, as David did pray Psal, 50
and God did promise by his Prophets
“without me”, saith Christ, “ye can do nothing,
that is spirituall, holy and gratefull
to God.”
Christ then is wholy our
rightuousnes, and this is the more rich,
noble and happy righteousnes, thēen if we
were just by our selves, yea none shuld
be just, if our justice did in any part depend
upon us nor our owne glory excluded,
as Paul and Moyses willeth it to be. 1 wordflawed-reproduction 1
There are many that thinke that as mēen
chose to serve a Prince, so wee chose to serue I2r
serve god, but be him selfe in the cōontrary,
where he sayd, you have not chosen me,
but I you. Likewise they thinck, as they
that best serve obteyn most favour of their
lord, and those that have lost it, the more they
humble them selves, the soner they recover
it: so they thinke of us with God.
Thus they build theyr good life, not upōon
Christ, but on them selves, and fall from Gala. 3
the divine grace. And also it is clene contrary:
for not for that we repent, humble
us, and do good worckes, therfore he geveth
us his grace: but because he geveth
us his grace, therfore we do worckes that
are holy. So that, not for that the good
thiefe upon the crosse did confesse Christ,
therfore he did illuminate him, but for
that Christ did illuminate and touch his
hart, therfore he did confesse him: and
the like happeneth of all us.

And what good worke did Paule when
Christ converted him? He was most
strongly agaynst his honour, even as
we were before he called us. These that
are not regenerate, hee with Sainct Peter
in a darcke prison, bound with many
cheynes, in the power of the Devyll, aslepeI.ij. slepe I2v
in sinne, and wilt thou that they bee
saved by them selves? No, the Lord him
selfe must needes awake him, “the evell
tree can not bring forth good frute”
, as
Christ sayd, no more can the ungodly Mat. 7
good worckes. Before wee are by Christ
regenerate, we are flesh, and that which
springeth of the flesh, is flesh. Therefore Job. 3
can we do no spirituall worckes, yea
even as Paule sayth, all the effectes and
desyres of the flesh are death, uncleane are
all our worcks which proced of our corrupt
nature, and finally he that is not
with Christ, is agaynst him.

God at the beginning made man free,
but in sinning he was made in such sorte
the servaunt of sinne, that not only he can
not, neither in all nor in part, merite before
God any grace, but he can not in his
light do otherwyse but sinne: yet not for
this he shuld leave to heare the word of
God, to pray, to take counsayle, to seeke
to bee corrected, to do almes and lyke
worck, not for that he doth deserve grace
but punishemeēent, even as he that by force
is compelled to humble him selfe, and
flawed-reproductionone or two wordspardon of his enemy, for that fayned humilitie, I3r
humilitie, he meriteth not to bee pardoned,
but should merite so much the more
to be punished, as that, having unjustly
offended him, he ought with his hart, to
have humbled him, and asked pardon,
and hath not done it. Now so the ungodlie,
in asking mercie of god, doeth sinne,
for he that asketh not for his glory as he
is bound, but for his owne gaine, nor
therfore he ought to ceasse from asking
help of God, for that he sinneth not in praying,
but for the not praying in spirit, for
the glorie of God, and with all due circumstances
in that case he did partlie obey
god, for if he did not pray he should sinne
much more grevously. The Samaritane
not onlye deserved not to have grace of
Christ, for asking him water, but for that
her demaund, she deserved to be punished,
bicause she did it not in faith, and to
the glorye of God. Neverthelesse Christ
would that she shuld aske, and that it shuld
passe by those meanes. Now so he will
that sinners aske grace, and do those
works that he hath commanded them,
albeit they do them not to the glorye of
God, being blind to divine things, yea I.iij. darcke- I3v
darckenes it self, as writeth saint John. John. 10 John. 8
But after the sinners are regenerat by
Christ then as childrēen of God, they are
free, & not the servaunts of the devell nor
of sinne because that although in them remaineth
the cōoncupiscence of sinne, neverthelesse
they do not cōonsente to it, they obey
not unto it. It doth not reigne in thēem: but Rom. 7
they have so much lyght of God, and so
much spirite (which helpeth their infirmitie) Rom. 6
that they are stirred to the glorie
of God, though not wholy as they wold,
for because of the repugnaunt flesh. Therfore
sayd Paul: “I do not that good that I Rom. 7 Psam. 31. Rom. 8. wold do, but the evell that I wold not.”
But such defects are not imputed to
them, for that they are by fayth graffed
in Christ. The regenerate by Christ are
prone and readie to the good, God hath
illustrate their mind and toutched their
hart, in such maner that with all their
soule, voluntarely, frely, and gladly, they
doe holy worckes, to the glory of God,
so that as God counsayled the soules of
them that did elect David to content thēem
selves in their hert to have him for their
king, so he moveth the hart of the regenerate,rate, I4r
willingly to have god for their god,
to cōommit them to his governaunce, and to
delight to be governed of him, with honoring
him as a celestiall father. So thēem as
sonnes of Adam, before they be regenerate,
are the servantes of sinne, for that
they can not but sinne, and therfore because
they can not worcke, will, desire,
nor styre in any waye to the glory of
God, as they are holdēen, but only for their
carnall commoditie, by the which al men
not regenerate, are called flesh, not only
the body, but the soule, the will, desires
and thoughtesthoughtes, with all the rest, so after
that they are regenerate, they be free frōom
sinne, (for that they can worke to the
glory of God) and are servaunts of righteousnes.
Therfore although, as concerning
the substaunce and being of the bodie
and of the soule, they remayne the
same: nevertheles, where before they
were called fleshly men, & fleshe, for that
they sought not but theyr owne proper
things, afterward they are called spirituall
men & spirite, in as much as they
seke the glory of God, the which they may
do, for that God hath gevēen them by mere I.iiij. grace I4v
grace lively light and spirituall feling,
and knowledge of his goodnes, yea during
in them that perfect light, not only
they are free from sinne, for that they be
able not to sinne, but also they can not
ssinne, for that they can not but love God
and worke to his glory.

And this is the perfect libertie, the
being free from the power to sinne, and
being not of power to sinne, is not to sinne.
Otherwise, neither the saints that
are in the other lyfe, nor the Aungels
should bee perfectly free, neither Christ
nor God, for they cāan not sinne. It is very
true this, that god sometime doth let his
elect, and holy men fal, withdrawing his
divine light for a time (yet for their benefites)
therfore we are not absolutely and
wholy free from the power to sinne, as
we shall be in the life to come, but they
are free frōom power to sinne with this condicion,
during in thēem the lively and actuall
light of God. So thēem as the carnall, before
their regeneraciōon are in such sort the
servaūunts of sinne, that they cāan not but sinne,
not therfore absolutely & without condicion,
but so long as they have not the holy light I5r
light of god, so the regenerate are in like
maner free from sinne that they can not
sinne, yea they can not chose but worke
well, ye not absolutly, but during in thēem
that livelie and actual light of God. And
with al this, neither the will of the flesh is
violented to wil evell, nor the will of the
spirit to will well. And this is, for that
the wil can not worcke, but of wil (therfore
willingly) but if it were possible that
of any outward power it were forced thēem
by that violence, it shuld worck not voluntarilye.
And on the other side, it shuld
worke willingly for that it could not work
but of the same will that it is: therefore
it shuld worke unwillingly & willingly
the which in a maner is unpossible, and
implieth contradiction and gainsaying.
So thēen as if one being a slepe were throwen
down from a hyghe place, and in
the falling should awake, perceyving his
falle, should willingly contente him self,
and have pleasure so to fall downe to the
botome, when he were at the ground, he
were well worthy to have shame & punishement,
not for that he might in his fall
withhold him selfe, for it was not in his I.v. choyse I5v
choyse nor libertie, but for that he did so
delight and cōontent him self with that fal,
with his full will, and would it with the
hart, in such sorte, that al beyt he might
have had the power to restraine that fal,
he would not have done it. Even so the
like becōommeth of al the childrēen of Adam,
that being fallen in him, although when
they come to the yeres of discression, and
begin to discerne the good from the evell,
they perceyve the sinnes that they do,
every way they do thēem voluntarily, delighting
therin, so that although they be
not of power, not to do thēem, they are nevertheles
worthy of punishment, for that
they in sorte cōommit them willingly, that
if they had power not to do thēem, yet every
way they wold do them, being their will
so malignaunt, as it is. Their will then
is not violented or forced to do evell of
any outward power, but of his own proper
and entiere or inward malyce: And
so the other partie, the regenerate by the
gladsome, entier lively, and enflamed
light that they have of the bounty of god,
they are forced to elevate thēem selves, with
an amorous violence. (Therfore voluntarily,tarily, I6r
and with perfect liberty) to God,
to whom for ever be all laud, honor, and
glory, though Jesu christ our lord.

Amēen

Of the effectes wrought by the
spirite of God when it entreth into
the soule: the xiiij. Sermon.

Even as Christ entring Mat. 11
into the holy Citie of Jerusalem,
the whole citie
was moved, so moveth the
citie of the soule when
Christ entreth therin, specially,
sence from that as from a fort
and strong municioned rocke he hath the
greate devill to chase away. And if in
the lunatike sonne, ther was a great Luk. 11 Luk. 9
commocion, when Christ out of his body
wold have drawen the malignaunt
spirite that had possessed hym: thinke
what cōommocion there is, when he chaseth
him frōom the soule, in the which he dwelleth
more willingly. And knowe, that it
maketh a cōommocion not only outward in
ceremonies, as do commonly the false christianes I6v
christians when it is neere Easter, but
ther is a cōommocion within the very bowels
of the soule, and inward parte of the
heart, there is nothing that so can perce
the soule, as doth the spirit of god, when
it entreth into it by special slyding. Not
only it spoileth us of the olde Adam with Rom. xiii, John. 3
his concupiscence, & doth cloth us wyth
Christ, with al his vertues, but also maketh
us to be borne a new, that as if a
poore man wer sodenly made an Emperour,
he shuld be wholly chaunged, so he
that of a vile sinner, is made the sonne of
God chaūungeth thoughts, effectes, desires,
and wyll, chaungeth frendships, practises,
words, works, & life, & of humaine,
beastly, carnall, earth, and develish: he
becommeth hevēenly, spirituall, angelical,
and divine as did Paul, going to Damasco,
whēen Christ did enter his heart. Ther
was a mutacion, from the right hand of
God. When the spirite of the Lord entreth
in a person, he is chaunged into a Acts. ix Psal. 76 3. Reg. 21 Mat, 12
nother man, for that dyeng to the world
he beginneth to live to him selfe. And if
when Christ did enter into the temple
flawed-reproductionhalf the line those that bought and flawed-reproductioncatchword I7r
solde, thinck if when he entreth into the
spirituall temple, he clenseth it from every Rom. 8
unclennes of sinne, ther restith not
in it any thing of dampnacion, he healeth
it most perfectly, so that if the uncleane
woman was healed, at the touch of the
hemme of Christes garment, thou maist
think what it is when Christe in spirit
entring into the soulde, & the person with
lively fayth, imbraceth him wholy for
his. Also as when the sonne beames enter
into thy house, thou perceivist in the
ayre, even to the smalest mote which thou
couldest not see before, so when in the
soule do enter the beames of lyght of the
divine grace, the sinnes are perceived in
more cleare maner. Yea, as the prodigal Luke xv.
sonne never knew nor perceived truely
his owne errour, til with such pitie he
was imbraced of his father, & had proofe
how great was the fatherly goodnes and
charitie which he had offended: so the
sinner when he converteth & beginneth
with the spirit to taste the divine goodnes,
he beginneth also to know his malice,
pride, and ingratitude with the rest
his unlawful sinnes. He restoreth with Zacheus I7v
Zacheus that which is not his, if Christ Luke xvi
enter into his house and dispenseth the
superfluous things, yea being rych with
the treasures of Christ, he leaveth al with
unmeasurable love. He can not participate
or take part of the bountie of God
that doth not communicate & distribute
to others. The lively flame must needes
breake forth, or els being smoudered it
quencheth & the fountaines that cōontinually John 7
receive rūunning water must of force
overflow: so they that have in them the
holy gost, by the testimonie wherof they Rom. 8
are sure to be the sonnes of God, have
continually one such & so entire, sincere,
and pure gladnes (which groweth of the
lively knowledge that they have of the
great goodnes of god) that they can not expresse
it, nor they cannot comprehēend thēem 1. Pet. 1
selves. Therfore not being able to withhold
themselves, they spring and leap for
ioy with Ihon Baptist, with his mother Luke 1
thei make exclamaciōon, & as to Zacharie, Exo. 4 Acte. 4 Math. 7
so are their tongues losed: so that although
in praising of god thei perceive with Moses
that they stammer & are of an unlearned
tonge, nevertheles with the Apostles, they can I8r
can not keepe scilence of that which they Math. 7
have heard, seene, & felt, with the spirite,
they must needes speake by the superabundance
of love, that they have, they desyre
with the woman of Samarye, that John. 4
every one should taste that which they
them selves have had experience of. And
although for preaching the gospell they
be persecuted, for all that they do not desist
& leave of, but triumphing in al, they
persever and go furth even to the death, Rom. 5
they feele in such sort in the heart the charitie
of god, that not onely it is sweete to Act. 5
them to suffer for his love, but with the
apostles they reioice therin. And for that
they participate of that great charitie of
Christ, by being his mēembers. Therefore
with him they pardon al men, being ready
to shed their bloud and put their lyfe
for their enemies, & with Paul also to be Rom. 9 Acte. 7
accursed from Christ. And this, because
that as to Steven, so the heavēens are opened
to them, in such sorte, that in spirite
with cleere & supernatural light of faith,
they see the glory of god, in having geven
his only begottēen & dearely beloved sonne
for thēem upon the crosse, they rest also quiet as I8v as the ship when Christ entred into it,
they have the peace of conscience, knowing
with certeine faith, that God by
Christ and by hys mercie, hath pardoned Mar. 6 Rom. 5
them. They have also quietnes of mind,
in such maner, that though they were in
al the perils and necessities of the world,
yet alwayes aproving for juste, the judgementes
of God, knowing that he is
their only father, that he hath most singuler
cure of them, and that every thyng
serveth them to salvaciōon, they stand most
suerly, quiet, in peace, and tranquillitie.
These such for that they walke according
to the vocacion of God, have honour of
every enterprise that they take in hand,
they can not be letted or resisted, no more
then God. Yea it is force that every one
feare thēem, as Herode feared Saint John
Baptiste
, for that he had in him the spirit Gene. 21. Gene. 26.
of the Lord, and as Abimelech did Abraham
and Isaac. They are dayly more
firme and stablished in good purposes to
do ever better, being lifted up cōontinually
to a greater perfection with Paule, although
their mind be cōonversant in heavēen
neverthelesse, descending by Christian pitie, to K1r
pitie, to fele the miseries of their brethern, 1. Cor 11
they laboure also to drawe thēem to Christ,
and move them to have the spirite, and
to be in verite Christians, and not Ipocrites.
As the very grape doth move the
birdes to tast therof, and not the pitfall.
And finally, although with the Apostels, John. 6 Matt, 7
they ever remayne with Christ & with
the Cananite, which woulde not depart
for his ungentle wordes, nevertheles
they are promte and readie for his honour
and glorye, to leave with the Samaritane
his sweete presence.

And what is more to be sayd when the
spirite of God doth enter in to a soule, he
suffereth it not to slepe, nor stand in idlenesse, John. 4
but maketh it worcke thinges
merveylous and inexplicable, for
the love of God: to whom be
ever all laude, honour
and glorie by Jesu
Christ
our lord

Amen.

K.i.
What K1v

What thing God is. The
xv. Sermon.

Ignoraunce specially of
the heavenly things, is
the greatest lack that can
be in man and above all
other the ignoraunce or
lack of knowledge of god.
For as it is impossible to attaine the science
of Philosophie, Astrologie, Geometrie
or of any other like, without the
ground or fyrst principalles. So without
the knowledge of god the true beginning
and principall of true devinite, it is impossible
to have any light of the trouth,
necessary and proffitable to the ghostly
health. And likewise, as the knowledge
of the first principalles of one science, dependeth
the knowledge of all the trouth
and conclusions that that science conteyneth.
So of the true knowledge of God,
dependeth the knowledge of all the circumstaunces
and trouth of Theologie or
Devinitie. Wherfore seeing how much
pestiferous & detestable the ignoraunce
of God is, and howe much necessary the true K2r
true knowledge of him is, I have thought
it expedient, first to consider what thing
God is.

It is a most easy thing to knowe that
God is, or that there is a God, sithens
that there is no Nation so barbarous,
but that it beleveth that there is a God,
being a generall knowledge that God
hath so imprinted in the harts of al men,
that if the man have any judgement at
all, it behoveth him with the hart to confesse
that there is a God. For albeyt ther
have bene many wicked which with
their mouthes have sayd: “ther is no God.”
Nevertheles the self same, when they
have fallen into any perill or necessite,
have been enforced of that onely light &
religion of God, to recommend them
selves unto him, so that we must of force
repute him a very ydeote, that denieth Psal. 13
God. And being therfore an evident and
easy thing to knowe that there is a God,
we must nowe travaile & labor (though
it be most harde) to knowe what that
God is. Manye have been of opinion
that it is impossible that we shuld ImaginK.ij. magin K2v
what God is, because infinitelie
above all proporcions, he excedeth the
weakenes of our understanding, specially
because our wittes are drowned in
the bodie, occupied of fantasies, and shadowed
by the derke vaynes of things
created, farre of frōom God. We be weake
of sight, sicke and impotent through the
fall of Adam & our owne sinnes. Wherfore
they say that we can have none other
knowledg of God, but the negative,
that is to witte we may know that God
is not materiall nor forme inperfect
nor yet soule of the world, that he is not
Earth, Water, Ayre, Fyre, Winde,
Sterre, Mone, Sonne, Corporall light,
nor any vertue spredde abroade. He is
not the beautie that wee see, the sweetnes
that we taste, nor other thing sensible,
imaginable or intelligible of us, but
that infinitely he exceadeth all creaturs
and all things that we understand. In
him ther is an inaccessible light such as
they, which wth theyr thoughts in maner
have been raysed so high, that they
have found what God is have deceved
them selves. And they who ymagin in theyr K3r
theyr mindes to have found God, do fabricate Tim. 6
an ydoll, out of all measure distaunt
from the true being of God, as appeareth
by his commaundement to the
Jewes, when he prohibited thēem the sculpture
or graving of ydolles, understanding Exod. 20
not of the materiall ydolles onely,
but also of the imaginable. For out wittes
are extreme darknes, in cōomparayson
of Gods inestimable fyrst light. So that
it behoveth us with Aaron to enter in
Sancta Sanctorum and with Moyses into
the Celestiall Clowde, if we will
knowe, that is to say, to knowe that we
knowe not, in such wyse that the more
fervently a man will professe not to
knowe so much the better he doth know,
and who presumeth to knowe, is farthest
of from the knowledge, & why? because
God in his power and light standeth
so hidde in darkenes from us, that with
blindnes we see him, wyth ignoraunce Psal. 1one characterflawed-reproduction.
we knowe him, with retiring or with
going backe we cōomprehend him, in fleing
we find him & with scylence we prayse
him. And it behoveth him that will knowe
what thing God is, to study in the K.iij. scole K3v
scole of simplicite and rest vanquished of
that inestimable, inaccessible and incomprehensible
lyght.

And I confesse that we can not comprehend
God, in such maner as ggod comprehendeth
him selfe. That is to say, we
can not have an infinite knowledge of
him, as do the blessed saints, that is to
say, to have as they have the clere naked,
open and visible sight of him, to behold 2. Cor. 1.
him in the founteyne of his brightnes,
face to face in the very being that he
is. But we may very well attaine a
knowledge what God is though not so
perfectly as we shall knowe in the other
lyfe. Nor it is not possible we shuld
knowe what thing God is not, if first we
learne not to knowe what thing he is, &
that his being is so perfect that it repugneth
thimperfections of those thinges that
be not. Wherfore considering all the negatives
that are rehearsed of God, are
grounded uppon one positive and affirmative
that we have, we must say of force
that we know God more perfectly, in
knowing that that is to be knowēen, thēen in
knowing nothing at all. And therfore speaking K4r
speaking of more high knowledge affirmative,
that in this present life, the
elect communly and without speciall priviledge
and miracle had of God, I say,
that first thou oughtest to consider that
the creature hath his being, although imperfect.
And God hath his being without
any imperfection. Yea his being is infinitely
perfect, wherfore to know what
thing God is, it behoveth thee to do as he
doth that will make an Image. Fyrst
he cutteth of many peces, before he parforme
the forme that he desireth, and
afterwardes paynteth and apparrelleth
it.

So is it necessarie that with the mind,
thou first consider the being of the creature.
And because thou shalt finde him
repleate of imperfection, being terminable
create, temporall, corruptible and
other like, therfore it behoveth the to
clense, purifie and take from him all
those imperfections, and imagin him infinite,
interminable, incorruptible and
in effect abstract and lifte up above all
imperfection. Neyther doth that suffise,
but also it is necessary that thou K.iiij. florishe K4v
florishe and adorne him of all perfection
possible, in such wise that thou conceave
to see him aeterne, necessary, simple, immutable
and infinite. Neyther yet doth
all that suffise, but moreover it behoveth
thee with thy thought to purify & clēense of
al imperfectiōon. The will & mind created,
the wisdome created the justice, bountie,
pitie, power, Charitye, treuth, beautie
and all the other vertues & perfections,
to which imperfection is contrary, and
consequently to enrich him of infinite
degrees of perfection, and so to behold
him in God as a thinge purified, to be
unto him, dyvine and infinite. But
because those powers, vertues and operations
with imperfection in maner ruleth
in us, will not suffer our wittes to
conceave that creature in his being & to
clense and spoile him of al imperfectiōons,
and so to make him infinite, we can not
in our beyng see him in God in whome
there can be nothing imperfect but it
must suffise us to see hym in vertue and
eminencie. So that albeyt in Gods
propre being ther is the corporall vision,
the imagination, credultye opinion,on, dis- K5r
discourses and other actions essencially.
Nevertheles it must suffise us to
see them in vertue and eminencie. For
to see God clerely it includeth and conteyneth
all perfection, like as the golde
conteyneth the perfection of all other metalles.
He then that seeth that divine being
with all perfection possible, seeth
what thing God is, because he seeth a
spirituall light, most pure, most cleere,
most simple and exellently fayre, aeterne,
immutable, necessary and infinitely
perfect, replete of Celestiall felicite, justice,
power, bountie, verite, wisdome,
mercy, charite and of all the other perfections
and vertues, infinitely parfect
and that in it, in vertue and eminencie
be all the colours, odours, savours, soundes,
songes, sweetnes, fairenes, honours,
dignities, treasures, pleasures
and felicities of the world, infinitely
and without proporcion, more perfect
then they be of them selves here.

And moreover it behoveth thee to
knowe that the being of the creature is a
shadowe and a most sleyght vanite in K.v. compa- K5v
comparison of Gods being, and the difference
more, then is betwene our shadowe
and our selves. It is to be sayd of Exod. 8
God, that surely he is onely the thing
that is. Likewise I say of our powers,
beautie, trueth, charite, justice, wisdome
and of all our other vertues, that compared
to the divine they be as most vayne
Images, and shadowes, infinitely distaunt
from them of God. Also it behoveth
to knowe, that God is not ydell, but John. 5
that he continually worketh (as Christ
sayth) in such wise, that he hath not onely
geven unto the world his being, but also
continually cōonserveth al the things created,
and all the vertues, that of all the miracles
and straung effects, we knowledge
only God to be Aucthour and to him
we give all thanks honor and glorie. So
likewise ought we to knowledge of him
all the naturall effects and operacions,
and not to extolle or prayse nature, but
God onely, who geveth and preserveth
the being and vertue to all things. Neyther
ought there be any other chaunce or fortune
to be named, but all to be confessed
of God, and he onely to be thanked, even as he K6r
as he continually worketh for us.

And as his power is never ydel, but cōontinuall
working in all creatures. So his
wisdome continually seeth, disposeth and
ordeineth all things most best, and his
bountie likewise continually communicateth
unto his benefites and graces.
Furthermore it is necessary thou know
that all that God hath wrought, worketh
or shall worke in his creaturs, is all for
man, for whom they be created and preserved.
For all the gifts and benefites
that frōom the beginning have bene made
or shalbe made to the creatures. Man is
bound to knowledge them as made to
him, and accordingly therfore to thanke
God. And especially the chosen or elect,
to whome all creaturs do serve, both the
predestinate and reprobate. Yea the Aungelles Rom. 8
and the develles, even to the very
sinnes. And because God doth here manifest
& discover him selfe, with his omnipotent
wisdome, trueth, justice, bountie
and his other vertues and perfections,
not only in his creatures, but much more
in his scriptures, and specially in Christ
on the crosse, chefely to them that by faith conceaue K6v
conceave him with spirit. Therefore it
behoveth him that wil know what thing
God is, to be holde him particulerly in
Christ, and to besech him to give him linely
& cleere light to know him not onely
in his creatures and scriptures, but
specially in Christ crucified, to the ende
that in him & by him, understanding the
great bountie of God, we may rendre
unto him all honour & glory, by our Saviour
Jesu Christ.

Amen.

How to know God by his
creatures. The .16. Sermon.

God in his maiestie apparelled 1. Timo. 5
with his perfections,
& in the well of his
brightnes (as saith Paul)
is a certaune light inaccessible
and hidde. But
here he somewhat discovereth him selfe
by his creatures, as who will enter into
Rome, must of force knowe by the pillers,
Sepultures, Images, and by the
great ruines that he shal finde ther, that the K7r
the Romaines in times past, have been
of great power, dominion and wisdome.
So he which entreth into this world, seing Esay 15
this great engin, must of force know
the maker therof to be the God omnipotent.
And beholding the ordre of his creatures,
must not onely see but also marvel
at the wisdome of God. And with Psal. 1.3
David crye and say. “Lord thou hast created
all things in wisdome.”
And moreover
it behoveth him to saye that God is
best, seing that continually he disposeth
new giftes unto his creatures. And seeing
that by due meanes he leadeth them
to theyr ende, he is forced to cōonfesse gods
divine providence, and so in conclusion
by the things created, to come to the knowledge
of God, and of all his perfections,
as farre forth as they appeare in his creatures,
and that because the creatures be
unyted so togethers that eche one hangeth
on other, and all of God, in such wise
that they make a ladder to the understāanding
of the naturall, by the which they
clyme and ascende even to God. They
see that this inferiour worlde, is governed
of the heavens, and that the heavens keepe K7v
keepe theyr courses uniformely, by continuall
moving, & therof be constrayned
to consyder, that the vertu which moveth
them, beyng infaticable and never weri,
is spirituall, for if it were corporall, it
shulde ende or at the least waxe weake.
And so goyng farther, they consyder that
that spirituall vertue, not beinge the supreame,
is govuerned by an other. And
because they cannot attayne the infinite
everlastinge, they are forced to come to
a fyrst supreame intelligence, the which
moveth without being moved, and to a
fyrst cause independent, and so they ascend
to the knowledge of God. Moreover,
by the beautie of the creatures, they
ascend to the knowledge of the beautie
of God. By the ordre, Armonie and consent
that appeare in the creatures, they
attaine the consyderation of gods infinit
sapience or wisdome. And so by the visible
workes of God (to the regarde wherof
David calleth us, saying, “Come and
two thirds of the lineflawed-reproductionlorde”
) they at-
four fifths of the lineflawed-reproductionperfecti-
all of the line but the final characterflawed-reproductiond Catchword plus one or zero additional lines.flawed-reproduction K8r
no creature so bace nor so vyle, in whom Rom. 1
there shineth not the glory of God, in
which thou mayst see his greate power,
wysdome, bounte beautie and the other
perfections. And by howe moche the
creatures be more noble, hyghe, worthy
and excellent, by so much the more
do they discover God. Like as the heavens Psal. 2
which particulerly do shewe the
glory of God. And the more perfectly we
knowe the creatures. Yea God in them,
so much the more we ryse to the knowledge
of God, and by so moch the more
our understandinges wholy and with
perfect light is united and copulate unto
him.

It is true that many consider the creatures
in thēem selves, without respect to
him that hath created them, and so conserveth
and governeth them. But those
are of more grosse condicion then is the
owle, which, because he can not beholde
the Sunne, forceth him self and taketh
pleasure to behold him in the sterres.
And they, not seeing God in his glorie,
seeke not, at the least wise, to see him in
the mirrour of his creaturs.

But K8v

But knowe thou fyrst that this ladder
of the creatures to clime unto God, is
perillous, because that God having put in
them a certeyne beautie and sweetnes,
to thend that mannes understanding of
the tast of the sweet running water shuld
be provoked to seke the foūuntein or springe,
and ther by to seke God with more
vexemencie. Many staye or rather fyxe
them selves in the degrees, & never arrive
to the heygth.

And some of the sight of the beautie
created, fall into vile, base, unclene and
filthy thoughts. And other swell in pryde
of that theyr vayne science, without climing
to tast the sweetnes of Gods bonuntie,
fixe them selves in the degrees, and
there shewe them selves contented for
reward to be seene and reputed for learned,
of the blind folish and frantyke
world.

Furthermore, this ladder is very hard
and imperfect because that by the sinne
of our fyrst parentes we are so blinded
of sight, that with great difficulte we
may see God in the darkenes of things
created, specially because the wise of the world, L1r
world, coveting to search all the properties,
vertues and qualities of the creatures,
have entangled themselves with
their curious thoughtes to the vayne shadowes
of the world, that fyrst they are attrapped
of death or ever they are a lytle
elevated their mindes towards God.

It is also a very long ladder, for the
great distaunce that is betwene the low
sensyble creatures (at the which, as at
the fyrst step or degree it behoveth to begin
to clyme) and god. For it requireth
extreme labour to arrise to the knowledge
of the immateriall. And whēen thou
art arrived at the perfect knowledge of
the supreame creature, because betwene
that and God ther is infinite distaunce,
before that with the thought thou arrive
at God, thy wittes shalbe in maner so
weakned that in the ende thou shalt attayne
none other but a weake inparfect
and darke concept.

Therfore to have sufficient lyght of
God to the knowledge of him by the creatures,
suffiseth not to our salvation.

L.i. For L1v

For though with all naturall light we
did arrive by the creatures at the knowledge
of God, yet can we be none other
but good Metaphisicy or naturall theologiens,
and not therfore good & supernaturall
divines, because the world shuld alwayes
have more operation in us and
in our hertes thēen God. We might well
leave our goods for pleasure, and one an
other for honour, as in times past certeine
Philosophers have done, which left
one vice perceaving other. But no man
cāan willinglie forsake the world, him selfe
and all thing, & have God for God, and
for his onely laste ende, but he alone to
whome the bountie of god is discovered,
in such wise that he may more in him,
then all the richesses, pleasures & dignities
of the world. Wherunto suffiseth not
the bountie of god discovered in his creatures,
nor all our naturall light, as Paul
writeth to the Romaines. Whome he sheweth Rom. 1
that the naturall light, which leadeth
to the knowledge of God by the creatures,
was not inough, because therof
they had not light to glorifie nor yeld the
due thankes unto God.

Wher- L2r

Wherfore they are not to be excused
which, thinking the naturall light to suffise,
and trusting in theyr propre forces
or strenthes, demaund none other light
of God, but are to be reputed wicked.
For as muche as we al have neede of the
devine grace and light to knowe God
sufficiently. Neyther is it inough to beholde
him in his creatures. But it behoveth
with the spirite and supernaturall
lyght to understand him in Christ, wher
he discovereth him selfe with so greate
excessive bountie, that he ravisheth and
draweth unto him the hartes, in such
wise, that delivering them of the world,
he saveth them. Let us therfore fixe our
eyes in that divine spectacle, to thende,
that feeling in him and by him the
bountie of the father, we may
rendre unto him all honour
and glorie by our Saviour
Jesu Christ.

Amneen.

If philosophie serve to true
Theologie or divinite, & in what
maner. The xvij. Sermon.

L.ij. There L2v

There be sōomme the which
denying all supernaturall
light, thinke that in
the world there is none
other Theology or divinite
but the naturall,
which they cal Metaphisica. And because
that a Man can not be a good Metaphysicus,
unles he be first a good Philosopher,
therfore they be constrained to say, that
Philosophie serveth to Theologie or Divinitie.
Somme other, not being able to
denie Theologie or divinitie to be super
naturall, say that it is grounded uppon
the natural, in such wise that (after their
saying) as the knowledge intellective requireth
the sensitive, because therof it
hath originall, groweth and hangeth or
dependeth, so hath Theology or divinitie
neede of Philosophie, because of it it taketh
beginning groweth & is established.

Philosophy then after theyr opinion,
is the guide that leadeth unto Sancta Sanctorum,
to beehold the celestiall thinges.
two charactersflawed-reproductionhe ladder by the which it behoveth, to
six charactersflawed-reproduction the true Theologie or divinitie.
three fourths of the lineflawed-reproductionule to the which L3r
which (according to theyr judgements)
resorte al the knowledge of the divine
light. And in so much do they allowe
them, in as much as they agree, not with
the holy scriptures nor with the spirite,
but with theyr blind humaine judgemēent,
which they hold for the sceptre that sheweth
all, even to God.

But I say, that as our humaine reason
by the sinne of our first parēents, is weake,
blinde, frenetike and foolish. So is
likewise theyr Philosophie. And that because
that albeyt after the sinne, God left
unto man a litle light of the natural thinges,
necessary to the humaine life & convenient
to our miserable state. Man nenvertheles,
in whom resteth a certeyne
pride & curiosyte, wold not content him
self with so simple a knowledge. As wher
a certeyn Philosopher, geving him selfe
thurtie yeres to studie the knowledge of
all the properties of the bee, could never
perfectly attayne his defsire. The others
have geven them selves to searth the
knowledge of al the properties, qualities,
vertues and operations of every sensible
thing and not onely of the base and corruptibleL.iij. ruptible L3v
but also of the celestiall bodies.
Yea (and which is more) they have enterprysed
to speake of the Soule, of the Angelles,
of God and of the thinges supernaturall,
In such wise that (passing the
lymites of theyr small light, & walking
blindely) eche one hath fabricate in his
mind his owne fantasie, and to the purpose
have so spoken & writen every one
according to his propre frenesie, wher
of is growēen so great variete of opinions,
so many confusions, errours, sectes and
heresies, that (as saint Jerome justly calleth
them) the Philosophers are the Patriarkes
of the heretikes, and the fyrst
begotten of Egipte. And it is an olde
proverbe, a great Philosopher a great
heretike.

The naturall reason therfore, that is
not healed by faith, is frentike and folish,
as thou maiest wel thinke whēen thou
considerest the presumptiōon, iun that it pretendeth
to be the guyde, foundacion and
ladder of the divine knowledges. Wher
as it serveth not to rayse the man to the
knowledge of God, but much lesse ge-
entire line but the final two charactersflawed-reproductionra catchword plus one or zero lines aboveflawed-reproduction L4r
tes that not only he knoweth not, but also
that without the divine grace he can
do nothing. Albeyt that that Philosophie
is nowe so proud, that with the
suppressing and persecuting of Christ,
the Gospell, the grace and fayth, it hath
alwayes magnified the carnall man, his
light and his powers. And is become so
frenetike, that oneles it be healed by faith,
it will beleve nothing to be true, but that
it thinketh good, neyther it is possible to
persuade him in any trueth, if first declared
unto him by his frentike reasons, it
be not conformable to hys blinde judgement.
Conclude therfore, that Philosophie
lieth lowe in the darke vale of understanding,
and can not life in the head
to the high and supernaturall things, in
respect wherof, it is utterly blinde, and
knoweth not, neyther by experience nor
revelation, so that in it, it is impossible
to establish the foundaciōon of the faith. For
as the feling passeth not the region of the
sensible things. So likewise can not humayne
reason nor Philosophie passe the
region of the naturall thinges. The naturall
man (as writeth Paule) understandethL.iiij. deth L4v
not the things of the spirit. And because
he is not capax, that is perceaveth
it not, he mocketh and scorneth it. Yea he
persecuteth, banisheth withstandeth, denieth
and repugneth the myracles, revelations
propheties, the grace, fayth, the
holy scriptures, God, Christ & his membres. John. 10
If they heare the Gospel preached
of a faithfull man, they say he is madde,
furyous or possessed of the devel, as was
sayd of Christ. If of a learned man, they Mar. 8
saye his great studye hath brought him
out of his wyttes, which also was layde
to Paule. If of an ignoraunt, how, saye Act. 7
they can he be learned that never studied
letters? And if of a poore wretch (as
touching the world) they saye to him as
was sayd to the borne blind man. Thou
wast borne in sinne, and wilt thou teach
me? And so in effect can in no wise abide John. 9
to heare the things of God. Go reade
the holy scriptures, and thou shalt fynde
that the carnal wysedome and humayne
reasōon hath alwaies rebelled agaīinst god.
one to two charactersflawed-reproductionhe is the same that, figured by the ser-
five sixths of the lineflawed-reproductionto taste catchword plus one line precedingflawed-reproduction L5r
not the word of God, & that afterwards
taught them to excuse themselves. That
made Caim to flea his brother Abel, and
that persuaded the worlde in the time of
Noe, that the generall diluge or floudde
shold not come. She caused the building
of the towre of Babel. She provoked
Pharao to resyst God. She induced the
people of God to murmur against him,
and to worship the golden calfe, and moved
the Gentiles to ydolatrie. It is that
harlot that made Salomon loose his wits,
and stirred his father to kyll Uria. And
finallie, she is the same that persecuted
the Patriarckes, Prophetes, Apostles,
Martirs, and Sainctes of the olde and
newe Testament. Beholde whether she
be a wicked foole or not that put Christe
on the crosse, and where as Christ crucified
is the right wisedome of god, she accounteth
it for a meere madnes. Surely
there is nothing that hath so much favored
the kingdome of Antechrist as she,
which hath introduced all the supersticious
hipocrisies. Y, ydolatries & evells that
have ben committed under colour of holynes.
The faith hath not had a greater L.v. ennemy L5v
enemy then she. The Church of Christe
was a Paradise whiles the simple faith
reigned. But taking in hand the scepter
of humaine reason, it is become a confused
Babylon. And wher as the clere, sure
and infallyble faith, by geving light of the
trueth magnifying Christ, his grace and
the Gospell, doth adnichilate or bring to
nought the fleshly man, and maketh the
parson symple, pure, immaculate, vertuous
& holie. The darke, blinde, deceitful,
frenetik, foolish and heretical carnal reason,
wysedome and Philosophie, cōondempneth
& oppresseth the trueth. And to prove
and extolle the errours, persecuteth, crucifieth
and burieth Christ, the grace and
the gospel, & magnifieth the carnal man
even to the heavēen. All the harlots together
have not so much corrupted the worlde,
as this onely carnall reason, prudence &
false Philosophie. No nor the simple ignoraunce
hath not so much confused the
world as the humaine science, wysedom
& Philosophie, which maketh men bold,
unshamefast, hot, lyers, proude, contencious,
frentike, foolysh & wicked. Wherfore
Paule exhorted the Colosians to bewareware L6r
of her deceypt, because (as God Colos. 3 Esay. 47
sayth by the prophet Esaye) she begyleth
the parsons. For the wyse of the worlde
be the most deceaved, most fooles, moste
wicked and most contrarie to Christ.

And it requireth a special miracle to cōonvert
one of thēem. Reade the Christian histories,
and thou shalt fynde that those be
they which evermore have ben the fyrst
to persecute the Gospel. And they are uery
wycked and foolish that will grounde
Christ uppon Aristotel, even like unto
them that will buyld a Towre uppon as
wheaten straw. Christ and not the Philosophie
is the onely true foūundaciōon of his
Church and of the true supernatural divinitie
of the which he is the only work-
master, and not Aristotel. I pray thee
what hath Aristotle to do with Christe?
Many have enforced themselves to agre
Aristotle with Plato, but they could never
bring it to passe, bicause Aristotle beginning
at the lowest of the sensible things,
ryseth in the ende to as high as may be.
And Plato beginneth wher as Aristotle
endeth. Cōonsidre now how it is possible to
agree him with Christ, though many will make L6v
make him a piller of the Gospell & a ladder
to clime to heaven. Let us therfore
repute the sciēences of the world as vaine,
being like unto the harlots, that with
their flattering woords and false deceipts
corrupt the mindes. And let us consider
that if the priestes of the old Testament
were prohibited to take a commune woman
for a wife, howe much more the
Christian that is all wholy consecrate &
dedicate to god, ought to flee and eschewe
the vayne sciences & onely serving him
self of thēem as of most vile handmaydens,
to knitte him selfe in spirite and with
hart and mind to applie him selfe to that
pure and immaculate virgin of the holy
Theologie or divinitie? To the intent that everlastingly we may render
to God all laude honour and
glory, by our Saviour
Jesu Christ.

Amen.

Howe L7r

Howe we ought to use the holy
Scriptures, in attaining the
knowledge of God. The
xvij. Sermon.

The knowledge of the holy
scriptures is not ynough
to prove that we have sufficient
light of God, because
it is possible that a
man maye by his prōompte
memorie attaine the holy sciptures and
their interpretacions in his mind, and
by force of his naturall witte, naturally
understand them, and be nevertheles for
all that withonut faith, spirite and lively
light of God. For therto it behoveth him
to have the spirite and supernaturall Luke. 24
light, that God with his favour do open
and penetrate the minde by his divine
grace. So that therfore we must not accompte
the holy scriptures for our last
end, or for our supreame Queene or Emperesse,
but for meanes that serve to the
faith, to the spirite and to the true knowledge
of God, much more thēen the creaturs.
And we ought to serve our selves of thēem in L7v
in divers wayes, for that they first incite
i and teach us to repaire to God, saying,
in him is the chief bounte, go to him-
for he is faythfull, and hath promised to
make you taste al vertue and goodnes in
him. Yea thought hey do not make thee
lively to knowe God, yet worke they,
as the Samaritan did, that sent the Samaritans John. 5
to Christ, who otherwise made
them tast and feele that which the Samaritane
had sayd of him unto them, in
suche wise that, whēen they returned, they
confessed, saying, “we beleeved not at al by
thy wordes, we our selves have heard &
knowe, that this is truly the saviour of
the world.”
And so the holy scriptures do
send the to christ, to thee end that he may
opēen thy hart, & make the in spirite lively to
understand that which already thou hast
redde in the dead letter, that thou mayst
say unto the scriptures, we neyer beleeved
by the wordes, the which, being without
spirite, could not make us tast lively the
great bounte of God. It is true that by
thy words we have been provoked to go
to christ, who, speaking unto us in spirite
hath made us to feele in the hart, a more clere, L8r
clere, high and divine effect of that thou
hast spoken. They erre therfore that feding
them selves of the letter and not of
the spirite, do fixe thēem selves in the holy
scriptures, and seeke none other light but
that. Yea I say that for one hours studie,
they ought to pray a thousand, and to demaund
of God the true understanding of
thēem. And like as the Piaconistes helde
opinion, the sensible things geveth us occasion
to studie in the booke of the mind
in which (they say) is imprinted al the
verite. So must we consider that the
holy Scriptures do call us to Christ, in
whome (as Paule sayth) bee hidde all the
treasures of wisdome and knowledge.
This is no lesse then true, that like as if
thou haddest a frende whome thou hast
not tryed (though alwayes thou hast
travayled to prove him) thou woldest
not inwardely knowe hym for a frende
(though he were ever in thine eye) because
the profe hath not rooted him in thy
minde. So albeyt the holy scriptures do
call & exhorte thee to seke god in spirite,
yet is it īimpossible that thou shouldest find god
in trueth in the scripturs, if first by spirite, thou L8v
thou have him not at the hart.

They serve also an other maner, that
many times happeneth. As where God
maketh the spirite with lively faith to
fele a devine trueth. Afterwards, reding
the holy scriptures, thou findest the trueth
written that thou hast so conceaved. And
ther of resting cōontented, thou confirmest
thy self in the faith of that trueth, notwithstāanding
that it ought to suffise thee,
of the first inspiration of the holy gost. And
so moreover because that in Christ is the Rom. 10
end of the law, all the promisses fulfilled
and all the prophecies verified, the shadowes, 2. Cor. 1
figures and scriptures of the olde
Testament
, he that redeth it and seeth al
fulfilled in christ, is forced to satisfie him
self of the trueth, and to establish him self
in faith. For Christ sent the Jewes (that
wold not beleve him) to the holy scriptures,
as to them that witnessed of him.

Afterwards, albeyt that in the Church
of God, to be satisfied, grounded & established
in the divine, celestial and supernaturall
verite, it behoveth in effect to
come to the inward witnes of the holy
Ghost, wihout whome we cāan not know which M1r
which scriptures of God be holy & which
not. Nevertheles, after that by spirite we
are assured that our holy scriptures be of
God, we ought to serve out selves of thēem
as of a certeyne in fallible and supreame
outward rule to teache, reprehend, correct
and exhort the others and to cōonvince
thēem that speake against it. For (as Paule 2 Tim. 1
writeth) amongest the exteriour things Tim. 1
we have not a more sure cleere, parfect
and stedfast rule, then this, with whiche
we ought in spirite to rule al our words,
workes, deeds and life.

The holy scriptures moreover shewe
unto us (though farre of) our countrey.
By her we have light of God of his promises Rom. 13
& also of his threatenings. And
they nourist in us, the faith, hope, charite
feare and other vertues. They comforte
us in our troubles, and in prosperite exhorte
us to be temperate. They discover
the vanities of the world, our miseries
and the bountie of God. And who that
studieth thēem must of force retyre or withdrawe
him self frōom the worldly thoughts
& settle his minde to mortifie his vices,
inordinate desires and affections. So M.i. that M1v
that the studie of thēem is very proffitable
to thēem that duely use it. But it behoveth
not to studie as the Jewe (who fixeth
him in the uttermust rinde of the letter,
which) as Paule saith: killeth, and beholding
Moyses with the face covered, and
not entering into Sancta Sanctorum, but
as the true Christiāan, to whome is gevēen the
knowledge of Gods selestiall reygne or
kingdome, without parables, that the
lively spirite doth penetrate to the lively
tast and feeling of God in Christ, beholding
him with lively faith in the face discovered,
and entring into Sancta Sanctorum,
to see with clere supernatural light,
the high resplendent secretes of
God. To whome be geven all
laude, honour and glory by
our Saviour Jesu
Christ.

Amen.

Of thinconveniences that are
happened and daily happen by the
abuse of the holy Scriptures, final line of head, probably specifying that this is the nineteenth sermonflawed-reproduction

catchwordflawed-reproduction M2r

The holy Scriptures of
themselves be the good
gifts of God and of the
holy ghost. Nevertheles
they may be used of us
wel or evell, as by experience
it is manifest. For where as gods
elect serve them selves of it to Gods honour,
the reprobate contrarywise serve
thēemselves of it to his dishonour, through
their own faut and not of the scriptures.
In so much that in respect of their wicked
malignite it hath perchaunce done hurt
in some wayes to the world, thouh at
length, God of his infinite bounte reduceth
all things to his honour & glorie.
For first the scriptures and specially the
holy Scriptures, have annoyed thēem who
have been diligent to gather to gether
manie books, & negligent to studie them.
Thinking thēem selves fully learned when
they have had their librarie ful of books.
Other some studing have not attayned
to imprinte the trueth that they found in
theyr mindes, and therfore have writen
it in papers, so that, resting most ignoraunt,
al theyr learning cōonsisteth in their M.ij. writings, M2v
writings, and loosing thēem, they also loose
their science. Which was one of the Argumentes
that caused Plato to cōondempne
lettres, saying that before scripture
was found, the men were much better
learned then sence, because they were forced
to write in theyr mindes that that
afterwards they have writēen in paper. I
passe over that many have cōonsumed theyr
time in the dishonour of God, in reading
& writing of things curious and pernicious
to the health. And that many transported
of Curiosite, have willed to see so
many bokes that in the ende they remayned
confused without frute. As doth the
feld wheron they cast overmuch seede.
And of some that by those meanes have
lost their wittes. But that which importeth
much more is that they thinke the
true knowledge of Theologie or divinite
cōonsisteth in lettres, which is utterly false
because they give not true & lively light
of the supernaturall things that can not otherwise
be knowen of us but by spirite,
revelatiōon, faith, spirituall tast, lively understanding
& sure experience. For like
as the Philosopher without experience can haue M3r
can have no knowledge although he beare
in minde all that is writen, and not having
practised, he must rest onely in opinion
grounded upon Aristotle, Plato
and the other Philosophers, which moveth
him to beleve theyr writing to be
true, being nevertheles in very ded more
ignoraunt then is the poore paysaunt or
husband man, that by labouring of the
Earth, without seeking lettres, findeth
the operacion of many naturall things,
that proveth his science to be somwhat &
theyrs none, though well they study for
ever & want experiēence. So likewise one
simple ydeote without learning, if he have
faith, lyvely tast, & spirituall understanding
of God, is a greater divine then
all the learned men of the world that be
without spirite. Yea he is a divine and
they none. For that of the heavēenly supernaturall
thinges he knoweth so much as
he tasteth, and experimenteth by faith &
the learned māan hath onely a barraine, ydle
cold & dead opinion which standeth without
faith in desperaciōon, accompained of
every vice. Nowe therfore it appereth that
oft his errour, by thinking that true TheologieM.iij. logie M3v
or divinite consisteth in learning,
there are innumerable inconveniences
growēen, & chefely that many, wanting lettors,
and not having time to studie, thinking
that by other wayes it is impossible to
become divines, have not disposed them
selves to demaūund of god with meeke hart
and fervent desire the light of the divinoe
things. And moreover they have fledde
& withdrawēen thēemselves from the intelligence
or understāanding of the holy scriptures,
as frōom a terrible ruyne, because their
wise learned and holy men have persuaded
them that no māan may understand it
but they only that are learned. Cōondempning
them that write in the vulgare tongue,
as if the true divinite depended of the
Hebrue, Greke, or Latin lettres, or of the
witte that hath wel studied thēem. Beholde
nowe therfore whether this be not a
most raw & wicked opiniōon, being the very
cause that hath moved me thus to write
in my natural tongue to thintēent that (knowing
the true Theologie to be open to every
language and to the simple) our owne
three to five charactersflawed-reproductionon shuld not be private, who have
four fifths of the lineflawed-reproductionTher be catchwordflawed-reproduction M4r
many that, studing the holy scriptures
without spirite, lively faith & supernaturall
light, have not onely not attayned the
true knowledge of the bountie of God &
theyr owne propre miseries, but the more
they have studied, the more, by the drie &
dead letter, they are become blind of god
and of them selves. Yea unfaithfull, unkind,
proude arrogaunt presumptuous
contentious and repleate of all other uyces.
Where as the supernaturall true
Theologie or divinite, shewing the great
bounte of God, and declaring in our selves
our owne miseries maketh us faithfull,
thankfull, just, humble modest,
gentle, quiet and conformable.

And moreover they be so blinde that
not knowing theyr owne wretchednes,
they not onely forbeare to humble them
selves before God, & of him hartely to demaund
helpe, light & grace, but also leaving
prayer for their studie, & the spirite
for their learning, they presume to be
masters of the others as Paule writeth, & Rom. 21
so inflamed of theyr science, have slaundered
the world, where as charite edifieth.
And being cōonsequently without spirite, 2. Cor. 8 M.iiij. they M4v
they study and understand the holy scriptures
according to their owne judgemēentes,
diversly as their wittes & studie are
variable, and every one according to his
fantasie expoundeth them, thinking he
hath perfectly and justly cōonceaved them.
Wherof are growen infinite sects and
heresies. In steade of that, if they had
been good and true divines, and had had
the spirite of Gods gifte, they had understand
thēen in treuth and verite, wherof
followeth none other but union of faith
both in spirite and charite.

Many also beleving by the studie of
the holy scriptures, to attayne true Theologie
and parfect knowledge of God, and
consequently the chefe felicite possible to
the living man, have geven them selves
to studie the scriptures, and walking by
them to joyne to the supreme felicite of
Gods knowledge, because they wanted
the spirite, they neither can arrive at the
true and lively light, tast and spirituall
understāanding of God nor yet to the true
felicite. Wherof it groweth that they fal
to the botome of infidelite, in such wise,
that they beleve that there is none other light, M5r
light, faith or divinite then that their
barreine and deade opinion, nor other
felicite then that theyr miserie, and so,
seming to have attayned the heygth of
vertues, before they have once tasted of
them, they disprayse them. These and
such other inconveniences are growen
and continually growe through them
that knowe not how they ought to use
the holy scriptures in such wise, that by
theyr default, and not of the scriptures,
they have perchaunce done hurte to the
world. But for that we ought not to condempne
the letters (as many have done)
but the men that knowe not to use them as they shuld be used to the honour
of God. To whome be all honour
and glory by our saviour
Jesu Christ.

Amen.

If to bee good divines it behove
us to have the humaine sciences
or not. The xx.
Sermon.

LM.v. There M5v

There be many that thinke it
is not possible to attaine
the perfection of Theologie,
if first a man learne
not Grāammer, Dialectica,
Philosophie and Metaphisica,
Yea Scotus Thomas bonaventure
and suche other. I confesse my self to have
been in that errour, & therfore am nowe
moved to cōompassiōon of them that rest blinded
withall. If it were as they say, we
shuld be most bounden unto the inventours
of those sciences, sins that by them
we may be good divines, & without thēem
not. And then I pray you if they happened
to perish or those aucthours to be lost
shuld it not followe that also the world
shuld lake divinite? And likewise if the
learned men in those sciences be onely the
good divines and consequently Saincts
(the contrary wherof is clerely seen) thēen
might well the simple and unlearned
people dispaire of all ghostly health, and
the true and necessary divinite hang uppon
humaine sciences. So by that reason
it shuld behove us to say that the Apostles
and in maner all the saincts. Yea and the blessed M6r
blessed virgin Marie weare not good divines,
notwithstanding that they have
taught others. No nor Christ never learned
those humayne sciences, and yet
was he the most excellent divine. Therfore John. 1 we must knowe that one humayne
science leadeth us to clime to an other,
much unworthie of the name of Theologie
or divinite, but rather to be called
Metaphisica, the which neyther hath nor
geveth so much light of God as can suffise
to our salvacion, being a knowledge,
that by force of mannes witte, climing
the degrees of humaine reason, may be
attayned.

Where as the true and supernaturall
Theologie or divinite is a science of the
spirite, a gifte and light that by grace cōommeth
from God above, in such wise, that
not he that hath the pregnaūunt witte, hath
most studied and is best learned, is greatest
givine, but he that hath faith, lively
light and understanding of God, that liveth
better and more christianly. And be Ephe. 2
cause faith is a gifte of God, and the true
divinite a supernaturall light, not attaynable
or can not be attained of us, but gyuen M6v
gyven of God to his elect. Therfore everie
simple ydeote and ignoraunt of the
humaine sciēences, may be the grace of god,
sodenly become a parfect divine & christian,
as in the actes of the Apostles it is
redde of the Ennucho. It is possible thēen, Act. 8
that a simple olde woman may have more
of the true Theologie or divinitie, then
al the learned men of the world. For the
humaine sciences do fyll our myndes of
smoke and pryde, & occupie them in such
wise (that distract with Marta) they be
not attentive with Marie to receave the
knowledge of God. It is seen by experyence
that rather & more lightly the simple
have accepted the Gospell then the
learned men of the world. Yea wher the
simple, the ydeotes, the litle children and
the Samaritanes magnified Christ, the
learned Scribes & Phariseis persecuted
him even to the death of the crosse. And
whan the world converteth, seldome the
learned men come to the fayth, but have
ben ever the last. Ther could none entre
into Sancta Sanctorum by the olde law,
but the hygh Byshop. But Christ dying
on the crosse, hath overthrowen the vaile of M7r
of the Temple, so that the resplendent
treasures of gods wisdome hid in Christ Col. 2
are manifested so openly, that the simple
and ydeots, yea the Publicans and commune
women have understanded them.
Wherof David speaketh saying. “Thy Psal. 118
wordes be open, they lyghten & give understanding
to the little ones.”
That high
and divine wisdome is become so low &
oone characterflawed-reproductionē in Christ, that every simple may understand.
For that Christ is not come as
an humane man to teache us letters but
is divinely & spiritually descēended to kindle
the spirit, light, charite & grace in the
hartes of his elect, and so hath he made
them to understand, even to the Childrēen
which magnifie him, saying. “Blessed is Math. 21
he that is come in the name of the Lord.”

And Christ reproved his Apostles when Luke. 18
they letted the Children of comming to
him, though now ther be many that wil
not allow the holy Scriptures to be had
in the vulgare tongue, nor redde & declared
to the simple, as if they could not understande
them, nor were not bounde to
knowe that which is conteined in them.
And yet it is certein, they conteine none other M7v
other but profytable & necessary thinges
to the health, and that being of the holy
ghost, those divine verities be in maner
so expressed, that in what tongue soever
it be written, so it be truly declared, and
with pure hart hearde and understande,
they must needs edifie without offēending.
Christ thanking his father, sayde unto
him. “I prayse thee (father and lord of heaven Math 11
and earth) that thou hast hidde these
things from the wyse and prudent, and
opened thēem unto babes, not for that they
have studied, but because it hath so pleased
thee.”
In this is fulfilled that the god promised Jeremy 3
by his Prophet Jeremie, that even
to the least of al they should know. Now
behold if they be blinde or not, that wyll
buylde the true Theologie uppon Philosophie,
and uppon the humaine sciences,
where as Christ is the true foundacion,
and uppon him it behoveth to buylde, no
woode straw or haye, but sylver, golde &
precious stones, that is to say, not the invencions 1 Cor. 3
of man, but the onely true revelacions
of God. Sainct John Baptist, &
not Aristotle, was the precursor or fore-
runner of Christ. It is not possyble with the M8r
the light of a little burning candell, to
augment the great light of the Sonne, &
lykewise Christe can not be clarified by
the humaine sciences. He him selfe saith John. 5
that he hath takēen his beautie, not of men
but of his Father, who sayde unto him.
“And thee I have glorified, and thee I shal John. 13
glorifie.”
And wilt thou then that Christ,
which is the light of the world, shuld have
neede of the light of Aristotle? That their John. 1
drye, cold and dead Theologie serveth to
make them proude, to presume of them
selves, to contende & to deceave the blind
ignoraunt people with persuading them
falsely to repute them for divines, yea &
to begile thēem selves, that albeit that they
be darknes in deede, yet they think them
selves to be the light of the worlde, and
therfore humble not theyr harts to pray
unto God to give them light. I wyll not
saye that we can not serve our selves of
al the humaine sciences in the honour of
God, yea and of our sinnes, in asmuch as
of them we may take occasion of vertue.
But I say in dede that they be not necessarie
to make us good divines. For to
that it behoveth a supernaturall lyght of God M8v
God, with clennes and purite of harte.
And this light we ought evermore to demaunde
of God with fervent prayer, we
ought also to seeke the hearing of Gods
worde, and with humilite to exercise our
selves in studing the holy scriptures, to
the intent, that as true and good divines,
we may rendre unto
god all honour and glorie
by our saviour
Jesu Christ.

Amen.

How a Christian ought to make
his last Will & Testament.
The xxi. Sermon.

It is commonly the custome
of men in theyre
Testamentes, and last
willes to say I leave, I
geve, without onse saying
I take or carie wyth me,
wherin certes they be farre deceyved,
by cause they take that, which they ought to leaue N1r
to leave behinde them, and go without
carying that which is very behofefull &
necessary. Wherfore to the entent they
should no more erre on that behalfe? I
wold we shold consyder and weigh how
a true Christian should make his will.

Men that be either fooles, mad, phrantike,
neyther can, nor yet knowe how to
make a wyll, by reason they have not
wyt to descerne good from evill, what is
theyrs, or what is not, what to take, nor
what to restore or bequeath, nor yet to
whome nor in what maner. And if happely
they go about to make theyr testamēent,
it should be but vayne and of no force,
God alloweth it not as a thing made
of a person witles. Wherfore he that is
wylling to make a testament effectuall
(as expedient is to him that wylbe saved)
behoveth to have very good spirituall
judgement, a lively fayth in Christ,
and an understandinge and lyght above
a natural man, he must also be the sonne
and lawful heyre of God.

And then he may saye: I sounde of
mynde, and redy of spirit and remembraūunce,
albeit as touching my flesh, sick, N.j. make N1v
make my testament, and bequeath fyrst
of all my being and substance to God: he
gave it to me and also preserved it, and
of him I recognise to have it, and for it
I render him thankes, I leave to him
lykewyse the gyftes, graces, benefytes
temporall, bodely and gostly, that I have
had, or shall hereafter receyve: for they
be his, and from him by grace I acknowlege
to have recyved all, as Paule saith,
what hast thou, that thou hast not receyved
at Gods handes, yea for asmuch as
all the slaunders, mysreportes, persecucions,
syckenes, and misfortunes, which
I have already or shall from henceforth
suffer, and even death it selfe, I confesse
(by the understandinge that the Lorde
hath given me) that they have bene and
shalbe his gyftes and graces, given and
graunted of a great love for my welthe
and profyt: wherefore as his divine rewardes
I graunt to have hadde them of
God, for them I thanke him, and as hys
owne I leave and restore them to him.

And for so much as I can not but acknowledge
that I have gone alwayes
backward from him so often as I would rule N2r
rule my selfe by my blynde judgement,
folysh wysedome, and develish spirite
neyther dyd so much as go one steppe
forth towarde God, but when I was
moved, dryven, and thrust forewarde
of his holy spirit. Wherfore I commyt
to the hyghest god my most deare father,
and to his governance, all the world and
specially my selfe: in him (as I may) I
wyll helpe my selfe with myne owne
witte, and fredome, namely by making
it obedient to him.

Moreover if ever I have spoken or
shall from hence forth utter any word, if
I have done or shall do any worke, that
is to him plesaunt, if I have had or after
thys tyme shall have thought, desyer
or wyll, that good is, I give it to God,
and at his handes I professe that I have
hadde all my goodnes, so that if it were
Gods wyll, to take from me all that he
hathe geven me, there should in me remayne
nothing but onely sinnes: those
are myne owne, and all other thinges
be hys.

Thus be my sinnes if I should go before
gods presence. I were but dammed, N.ij. if I N2v
if I were minded to make satisfaction
I could not, no nor yet any saynte that ever
was, there is none whose love is so
great to take my sinnes uppon him and
satysfye for them, and appease gods angre
save Christ alone, wherfore to hym
I bequeth my sinnes, I leve to him my
pryde, unkyndnes, unbeleve, mistruste,
arrogancy, enuy, wrath, ambition and
all my innumerable wyckednes: I give
to him my evil thoughts, affections, and
desires: to be short, I make one fagotte &
boundell of all my offences present, past
and to come, and geve them to Christe,
having sure fayth, and stedfast hope, that
he wyll accept them for his owne, and
hathe even alredy taken them, and for
them hath satisfied on the crosse, his father
layed them on his necke, and he dyd Esay. 53.
not ones agaune saye it, but of great
love allowed them for hys, and to consume
and burne them in the flame of
hys divine love, he bore them on hys
innocent shoulders uppon the crosse, (as one characterflawed-reproduction Peter. 3
Peter wryteth) and so was offred a sacrifice
for us. Now seeing I have left all
entire line but final wordflawed-reproduction God my N3r
my substance, and being, with all other
gifts & graces, that he bestowed on me.
I remayne naked without eyther good or
evell, and truely to say, I am rather nothing.
In that I have restored to God
my being that I had by creation & birth.

But for bicause it is impossible that he
shuld save me without being, and so it is
that he will save me, therfore first I cary
with me Christ him selfe, which is my
life. God hath so loved me, that he hath John. 3
geven him selfe to me. For so hath God
loved the world, that for theyr sinnes he
hath geven us his onely begotten sonne.
I carie also with me his spirite, that was
of his eternal father gevēen me of his most Gala. 4
royal liberalitie, as wel declareth Paule,
where he sayth, God hath sent the spirite
of his sonne into our harts wherby wee
crye and call “father, father.”

And in that he hath geven me him, he
hath restored me to my selfe and former
being, with a new substance and nature
spirituall, so that for the possibilite of my
salvacion, I have a being: but yet lacke
I treasure to discharge my great dettes,
and to apere rich in goddes sight, in consideracionN.iij. sideracion N3v
wherof I bere with me Christes
watching, abstinēences, traveils, prayers,
persecucions, sclanders, I take with
me his teares, hys swet, his blood, and all
that ever he did or suffered in three and
thritty yeres is myne every deal, & with
lyvely faith I embrace it as for myne
owne. I carye byside this with me his
patience, meeknes, love, and all other his
divine vertues, his giftes and graces, his
treasurs, and all that he hath mereted &
deservid, his life, passiōon, death resurrectiōon
and assension be myne, ye al that ever hse
hath done or shall from henceforth do is
myne, & what needeth more to say, if god
have geven us his own sonne, how hath
not he with him gevēen us al things, wherfore
with fayth I embrace my sweete Rom. 8
Jesus for myne own, he is my rightwisnes,
wisdome, raūunsom, and holines he is
my strength, he is my spirite, my light, 1. Cor. 1
lyfe, hope, & all my goodnes, even Christ
himselfe in his last wil bequethed me all
that he had of the father, wherfore he sayth, “I Luc. 22
entertayn you at my table as my father
had used me, as my father hath made me
his heyre so now I ordeyne you, I wilzero to two charactersflawed-reproduction as you N4r
as you be my brethern so you shalbe my
folowers”
: And in another place he saith “I
have loved you, as my father hath loved
me”
, sithen I am now through Christ so
rich of treasures, vertuse and graces, I
shalbe hable not onely to satisfy for my
dettes, but also to purchase infinite paradise,
when soever they shalbe sould.

Who shalbe now eyther to acuse or condemne
me, after that Christ hath thus
clothed me with his innosency, right wisnes,
holines, love, with al his vertuse graces,
treasures, merites, and with his
own self, I may with no lesse boldenes and
suretie, thēen christ, apeare before God, I
am his sonne, as he is, & heyre of heaven,
semblably I am innocēent as christ is now
that he hath satisfied for me, & paied my raūunsom,
& rewarded me with his innocency,
christ sayd, “I hallow my self that they also John. 17.
may be holy”
euēen he is our holines, & we
be his members, wherfore it is possible
for god not to love me, as it is possible that
he shuld not love christ by reason wherof
Paul saith: who shal devide me frōom the love Rom. 8
of god that is in Christ Jesu, it must needes
be that he be salved, which with living faith N.iiij. embra- N4v
embraceth Christ for his own. And considering
that the treasures & merites of
Christ are infinite, and able to enriche a
thowsand worldes, I entend not to cary
with me any other merites, or spirituall
riches, save those that Christ hath provided
for me, for they be not onely sufficiēent for
me, but also over aboundāance & unmeasurable.
Then shuld I do no small injury to
Christ, if I shuld search to store my selfe
by any other meane or shifte, although I
might do it never so easely, nay rather with
Paule will I rekenne all other things as Phil. 3
myre & dirt so that I have Christ, with
whom alone I wil appeare before God,
& of & by him will I glory & make boast,
yea god forbidde, that I shult make my Gal. 6
avaunt of any thing, save of the crosse of
our lord Jesu Christ of whom onely hangeth
al our health. And al beit al the saints
be rich by meane of Christ, nevertheles,
if they hadde meanes of theyr own most plentuose, and wold geve thēem to me, yet
would I none, my Christ is inough for
me, with him had I rather suffer, thēen take
pleasure and joye without him. It would
be athree to four wordsflawed-reproduction if every man shuld N5r
shuld make prayer to God for me, not
because I might purchase, or have any
other treasures thēen those that I have of
Christ, but that I might by lively fayth
every daye acknowledge, possesse and embrace,
those that I have receyved of Christ,
and count thēem for myne and so enforme
my selfe, I my self were it not by Christ,
shuld not know what to aske, for in him
is all and with out him all other things
be but mere vanitie, only this peticion I
make to him, that he vouche safe every
day to geve me light and understanding,
that I may have witte to accounte and
take his treasures for mine own. Wherfore
if any man will praye for me, let
him not tary till I be dead, for then I
can no more encrease in light and grace.
Let him pray nowe, that I may grow in
faith, and more and more instruct my
selfe of Christes riches. I am wel assured
that in purgatorie I shall not come, both
bycause ther is foūunde no other purgatory
but Christ in whom at the full be purged
and punished al the sinnes of the elected,
and also bycause in case there were one,
yet Christ not by my merites, but hby his N.v. mere N5v
mere goodnes doth satisfie for all my sinnes
trespasses, and paynes, & for as much
as hope never made any man ashamed,
nor confounded any persone, that had it Rom. 3
in his harte (as Paule writeth) therfore
am I sure & certein that he wil save me
without other purgacion. We can not
promesse our selves to much of goddes
goodnes, nowe never can behete us so
much, but he will recōompence much more.
I will not suffer therfore that after my
life any good bedone for me. Truth it is
that if I have any goodes thēen must I leave
to the poore flocke of Christ, not bycause
they shuld praye for me, that am already
saved, but for the use of other that live, John. 17
and shalbe borne, as Christ dyd, and also
bycause the rather they may live godly,
and knowe that they shall never lacke that be his, and putte theyr trust in
him. To whome be alwayes,
honour and glory through
Jesu Christ our

up to five lines, one of which is a catchword, one of which is an ornamentflawed-reproduction
N6r

How we shuld answer the devel
when he tempteth us and namely
in the ende of our life.
the xxii. Sermon.

The Devell (as Peter 1. Pet. 5
writeth) seeketh alway
to devour us but chefely
he is busy at the houre of
deth, by reason thēen it stāandeth
him in hand so to do
for his owne behove, and our greater
endomage and harme. Then useth he all
might, power, sleyght, deceyte, and malice:
wherefore I thinke good that we
shuld search how to make him answere
and by the assistance and ayde of Gods
grace to withstande him, & get the upper
hand of him.

He is constraygned specially whēen we
aproch nere to our deth, to throw us in
to the asisse & pit of desperaciōon, or els to set
six charactersflawed-reproduction in pryde and presumpciōon, if he shal
one third of lineflawed-reproductiont thou eyther put trust in thy
two fifths of lineflawed-reproductionnce in thine own works,
almost half of lineflawed-reproductionnd to make the despayre and N6v
and mistrust Gods mercy, but rather
stablishe thee in that erroniouse opinion
of pryde of thy dedes, on the other side, if
he fele that thou hast al they hope in god:
then will he shew thee on the one partie
the multitude and wickednes of thy sinnes,
and on the other partie goddes wrath
and severe justice, he will tell thee how
thou art in a maze and perplexitie not able
to be shaken of, or wonden out of, &
by making the to feele thine offences, otherwise
then ever thou dyddest in thy
health will go about to take out of thy
hart the passion of Christ, and al the great
goodnes, mercy, and love of god, & finally
to prove thee damned, he will bring for
his purpose even the holy scriptures.

But I will that all his temtacions
serve thee to the honour of god & salvaciōon
of thy soule as they do serve the turne of the
elect, to whom al things worke to gether Rom. 8
for theyr wealth, first of al I warne thee,
that thou mainteyn not thy selfe for good,
but admit and graunt all the evill that
eight charactersflawed-reproductionherse of thee and thinke that he
entire line except final four charactersflawed-reproductionmuch
entire line except final four charactersflawed-reproductionlast he N7r
he hath be so favorable, to make thee consider
thy sinnes, wherin he useth the divell
for an instrument, to the extent that
by the knowing of them, thow shuldest
take occasion to humble thy selfe, and to
call Christ to thy remembrance, which
to scoure and clense them hath not only
reputid them for his owne, but also died
for thēem upōon the crosse, graūunt thou hardely
that thou art a grete rybald and noghty,
without excusing they self in any wyse,
& that thy sinnes are innumerable confesse
that thou cold never satisfie for one
alone, and that thou were the most damned
sinner of the world if Christ had not
delivered thee, and stil prompte thy selfe
with those matters, which may forther
thee to come in to disperaciōon of thy selfe.

But if the divell wayt teo bring the to
despeyr of Christ, thou mayst in no wyse
consent thereto, but stedfastly put thy
trust in him, & my mind is that thou say
to him thus, if it were good for me to mistrust
Christ, thou never woldest have
perswaded me therto but rather have
drawne me from it, wherfore in that thou
woldest put me in minde to mistruste Christ, N7v
Christ, thou makest me stronger in my
hope and trust.

Thou shalt say to him, that when he
caused inustly Christ to die, which was
an Innocent, he lost al his interpriest &
jurisdictiōon, that ever he had or possible
might have over man, and if he procede
forth to induce thee to dispaier, be setting
before thee thy great sinnes, I will thee
to say to him, goe to Christ, which (as
John writeth) is myne attourney and 1. John. 2
Advocate, he can make the an answere for
me, reason there with him, if thou have
any claime or title in me, as thou sayest,
doest thou not know that he hath taken my
sinnes for his owne, and hath for them
made satisfaction most plentuously, therfore
hast thou no right in me at all.

If he chaunce to say his death is not
inough to save thee, answere him, if Adāam
by tasting one apple with one onely sinne
was hable to damne me: how is it that so
many holy works of christ, which tasted
for my sake of great love the most bitter
death, be not sufficiēent to save me. If the disobediēent
Adāam had power to condemne Rom. 5
me, much more the obedience of Christ is strong N8r
strong inough to save me, yea the gifte of
Christ is above and excedeth the sinne of
Adāam, Christ hath more avayled & holpen
us, thēen Adāam annoyed & harmed us by reason
the light of Christ is of more force &
oeffect thēen the darkenes of our first parente,
the goodnes of Christ surmounteth and
passeth the malice of māan, and his vertue
prevaileth above our fraylty: one teare
of christ hath bene more pleasaūunt to god,
then all the sinnes of the world be displeasaunt,
Christ hath be able to do more to
appeace him, thēen wee to provoke him to
anger, Christs living was more formal
& ordinarye, then oures was out of ordre
& frame, Christ hath done more to the honour
of God, thēen we have done to his dishonour.
Wherfore I may wel say, christ
that is my wisdom, rightwisnes, holines, 1. Cor. 1
& redēemcion is sufficiēent inought to save me.

And if haply he shuld say, it is not sufficiēent
for thy salvaciōon to beleve christ, thee
behoveth to kepe his commaundements,
thou must love god with all thy hart, and
thy neyghbeure as thy selfe and desier
nor covet any thinge worldly, which
things because thou doest not, ergo thou N8v
thou art damned, if fayth only were
inough, I also and all the divels shuld be-
saved, because (as it is writen) even the
devels beleve and feare. They beleve that Jam. 2
God made and created heven and earth,
and that Christ came, died, rose, ascended
into heven, that he sent the holy Ghost,
and that he shal come to judge the quicke
and dead, and yet are not we therfore
saved, and that bycause we observe not
his divine preceptes, wherfore thou also
art but lost, he will thus labour to bring
thee under the law, to thinke that thou
must be justified not by Christ, but by
perfourming and fulfilling of the lawe,
to the end that thou shuld despayre.

But I will that thou make answere
and say, if thou diddest beleve as by goddes
grace I beleve: that is, that God for
thy wealth hath created the world, and
senblably preserveth it, in such sorte
that thou couldest feele in the creatures
the love of God, and likewise wold beleve
firmely, that Christ came and died
for thy sinnes, for to save thee, & for thy
sake and profit, and in like maner of the
two charactersflawed-reproductionher articles, thou also shuld be saved, catchwordflawed-reproduction O1r
and thēen, when thou haddest a lively feeling,
of the goodnes & love of God thou woldest
love him, & thy neighbour likewise,
& being ravished into god woldest begin
to set little store by the worl, dd, as all good
Christēen men & women do. If it fortune that Deut. 27
he say, he is cursed that kepeth not & observeth
the law, wherfore thou art one of
myne, say to him agayne, for that cause Gala. 3 Rom. 7
Christ died on the crosse, for to deliver me
from all curses, & in somuch as I am all
ready of Christ I am dead to the law.

Agayn if he reply saying, wher be thy
works, wherby thou trusteth to be saved,
answere, “I trust not to be saved by my
works, for they be such that if I shuld have
regarde or respect to thēem, I feare me to be
damned, yea I were surely ascerteyned
of my dāamnacion. I hope onely to be saved Rom. 8
by Christ, & his works, which be myne
owne, and so much rather myne, then
they I dyd my selfe, as that the spirite of
Christ geven to me is more entier to me
then myne owne life or any other thing.”

Further if he shuld endevour to prove
thee to be none of the elect, by reason of
the innumerable, & outragiouse sinnes O.j. that O1v
that thou hast cōommitted, for prosperites,
or adversites thou hast had, for the great
evils wherin thou art found at thy death,
or for the temptaciōons thou hast susteyned,
saying, that God preserveth his elected
frōom the like evels, make him answer and
say: rather doth God practise them in diverse
such maners, albeyt of every thing Rom, 8
they be certified to the honor of God, thou
shalt more over say to him thus. I geve
more credite and trust to Christ, which
when he was dead for me on the crosse,
tould me I was saved, then to thee, that
art alwayes a lyer and father of errors.
I will thou tell him, how thov gevest
more faith to Christ alone, thēen to al the reasons
& autorities of the world? thou may
byside this say to him, the spirite of God
bearith witnesse to my spirit, that I am the
sonne of god, & to him must I rather trust Rom. 8
then to thee, whēen he shal say, if thou were
the sonne of God he would not leave thee
in such punishments, as thou art in, but
wold give thee some release and casmēone to two charactersflawed-reproduction
Answere him, In case it were as thou
one wordflawed-reproduction Christ shuld not have bene the sonne
half of lineflawed-reproductionsse he had no com fort O2r
fort, nor sensuall tast or feling, so that he
sayd, “my God, my god, why hast thou for Mar. 15
saken me”
: it suffiseth to me that he shewith
me so much favoure, for I am contented
with all that pleaseth him, as Christ
also was, yea in his suffering, he felt excedingly
the infinite lous of the father.

Beside these if he say: thou art the sonne
of Adam, ergo thou art acursed. Answere Ephe. 1
thou thus: I am blessed agayne by being
borne of God, & by meane of that blessed John, 1
sede Christ, as God long agone promised
Adam when he sayd. In thy sede all nacions Gene. 12
shalbe blessed, thou shalt tell him:
how thou art dispouled & bereft of the olde
Adam, and clothed with Jesu Christ as
Paule teacheth and advertiseth thee. Rom. 13

What tyme as he shal declare to thee
that Christ is wroth, angry and sharpe,
make him answere howe Christ is
not such one, for he is the health and
hope of sinners, and whilest we be in
this life present he is uttered to us pitifull,
sweete, and our Jesus, that is,
our saviour, and albeyt he seeme to speke
sharpe and cruell woordes to the woman
of Cananye, yet in heart he gave Mat. 15 O.ij. her O2v
her confidence and boldnesse, and shewed
him self to her full of sweetnes & love. In
deede at the daye of judgemēent to the damned
shal he be shewed angry, and wrathfull,
but in the meane time till that day
while we be here in this present life, he
is shewed pitiouse to all, and principally
to the great sinners.

And if it so were that he wold say thou
art not truly confessed, nor hast rehersed
al thy sinnes, and the circumstances of the
same, ne hast examined sufficiently thy
conscience, nor yet hast not that pure perfect
great, & unfayned sorow for thy sinnes
that thou of dutie shuldest have, thou
hast not satisfied for those so great an unnumerable
dettes, that thou hast toward
God, make him this answere and say,
thou art a servaunt and not a judge: or
to say more truely, thou art al ready judged John. 3
and condemned, seing thou belevest
not in Christ, & woldest thou judge meone characterflawed-reproduction
trouble they selfe no longer in proving
that I have failed in all, for sure I am
and fully I beleve to be saved, not by my
workes by reason they be unperfect, nor
yet by the worthines of my faith, for in that O3r
that also I am not perfect, bycause I beleve
not with so great a faith as I ought,
but I beleve I shalbe saved by Christ, &
not by my works.

He wil say: thou art not worthy to be
saved, say thou to him for a full answer:
the unworthy be saved so often as they
acknowledge theyr owne unworthynes,
go hartely for helpe to Christ, by whose
meane they be come worthy.

Where as he shall lay to they charge
that thou art one of the worst of the world:
say to hym on thys wise our infirmities
be but small in comparayson of the infinite
merites of Christ, and of the incōon
prehensible mercy of God: and the more
great that my sinnes be & without number,
so much greater shalbe his glory in
delivering me, and I with so much the
greater trust pray as that if he wil heare
me, it shalbe more to his honour & glory.
And whēen I consider and call to remembraunce
that my sweete & loving brother
Jesus Christ the sonne of God, which for
my sake died on the crosse, & would agayne
innumerable times for me, if need were,
and that I am his owne for so many causes,O.iij. ses, O3v
and that he may determine of me after
his owne mynde. For somuch as his
father hath geven him full power in heven
and earth: when I consider this, I
say, I can in no wyse dout of my salvacion.

If he ofte soones reason thus, thou hast
done no penance for thy sinnes, answere
on this maner: that can I never do, thatone character, possibly punctuationobscured
I should alway stand in the fyre, Christ
hath done that for me on the crosse moreover,
Christ is myne, the father hath geven
him to me with all his merites, all
the good workes, that ever he dyd are
myne, wherfore I may with his devine
riches, and treasures satisfie for all.

After this maner I wold thou shuldest
answere him, whēen soever he setteth afore
the thy sinnes, and infinite dettes, that
thou oughtest to God for the benefites,
thou hast receyved with diverse and sundry
vyces while he tempteth thee, but specially
with desperacion, wherwith he
tempteth evēen the saints, he will put thee
in minde and mistrust that Christ hath
forsaken thee: but make answere that he
never forsoke persone that trusted in him, O4r
him, but bycause he wold forsake none
of us, he was mynded to be forsakēen him
selfe on the crosse, and if he should at any
time forsake and refuse us (the which is
a thing impossible) it should be for more
glory of God, and we ought not onely to
be contented, but also to take it for a singular
privilege and prerogative. It behaveth
us to stand strong in the fayth,
and thinke that afore God the passion of
Christ can do more to cause him to love
us, then our sinnes can procure his
hate toward us, we hadde neede to be
well armed with spirite, faith, & grace,
for learning sufficeth not to know how
to aunswer, & wit thou wel that Christ
was tempted, and specially at the ende,
wherfore he sayth: “the Prince of this
world is come, but he hath gottēen nothing John. 15
of me.”

And if he can not with these armour
hurt the, he will turne over the leafe, and
say thus, and all bycause to deceave thee,
go to thou haste already vanquished me,
I was myneded to bring thee in to desperation,
but I colde not, thou arte O.iiij. saued, O4v
saved, and by and by wil the angels com
to fet thee, we wil apere to the like an angell
of the light, and say to the as he did 2 Cor. 15.
saint Hylarion, hast thou served God so
long, hast thou done so many good dedes,
so greate penance. geven so many good
ensamples, saved so many soules: and
all beyt thou hast cōommitted sinne, yet art
thou confessed of them, thou hast done penance,
thou hast takēenn pardones, thou hast
gone for indulgences, thou kepest the cōommaundements,
& beside these done many
volūuntary works that thou wast not boundēen
to do, wherfore why shuldest thou feare,
thou shalt be safe a sure, if thou be not
saved, then shall none be saved, yea thy
good works be over pluse, more thēen suffiseth,
which thou may sell or geve to other,
which if thou do not the Church of Rome The devil
is a lyar.
John. 8

shalbe thy heyre, & thou shalt enrich
theyr treasory of indulgence, what ferest
thou therfore: hast thou haply gone a nother
path or way, all beyt thou have admitted
sinnes, yet seest thou not how thou
art wel disposed at the last, onely stand
stoutly in the trust of these thy great and
many good works, suffer this sicknes, & death O5r
death for the remission of thy sinnes, and
thou shalt be more then saved, onely oftēen
remember thy selfe, of thy good workes.
Then it is expedient for thee to say thus.
Thou wouldest that I shuld trust in my
works, & I have no feare of being damned,
were it not for my woorkes, I geve
thankes to my lord Christ Jesus, which
hath geven me the grace to count my
works for a thing of nought, & for such,
that every one of them I deserve to be
punished, thou magnifiest my works, to
draw me backe from the confidence of
Christ, but by gods grace, thou shalt not
be able to do it. I finde that I am upon a
litle bourd in the sea tossed with mighty
windes, and have embraced & beclepped
a strong piller or rocke, & thou councelest
me to leave it, and to sticke to the roten
things which if I shuld do, the winds wold
cary both me and them in to the sea, rather
I will perish with Christ which is
a thing impossible I then live with owte
him, no I cane not put my trust wholy in
Christ onelles first al to gether I dispayer
of my selfe and myne owne worckes.
Wherfore it is necessary that we dispoile O.v. our O5v
our selves of al trust in our own works,
and by fayth and hope, cloth us and arme
us with Christ and in him put our hope,
& although we have not that great faith,
yet in no wyse ought we to despayre, bicause
if at the first he do not, yet at lēength
he giveth it to his elected at theyr death,
as the Prophete Abacucke told aforehande,
when he sayde, Lorde when they
shalbe neere to the death at the latter
ende, betwene this waye and the other,
thou wilt make knowen to them Christ and his great benefytes, and wylt open
to them the bosome of thy graces
by Jesu Christ our Lord.

Amen.

How answere is to be made at
the judgement seate of God.
The .23. Sermon.

Afelon or guylty parson that cannot
flye, but of necessitie must apeare
at the Sessions, Assyse, or
laweday, afore the barre, picketh
out and choseth him for his ayde & succour,cour, O6r
Attourneys, protectours, and Coūunseylours,
and goeth devising how he may
be defēended, namely in a matter touching
lyfe and death: which thing it standeth
us in hande more to doe. In so much as
that we being ful of sinnes, must apeare
afore the high judgement seate of Gods
justice, and when judgement by defynitive
sentence is given againste us, we
shall lose Paradise, soule, grace, god, and
all goodnes wythout recovery, and be
throwen into the deepe pyt of hell, there
to remaine & abyde in fyre everlastingly.
Wherfore me seemeth it were expediēent
to imagine what way to take, what
answer to make with what reasōons to arme
us, that we may have the matter to passe
on our syde.

Fyrst of all an undouwted matter is
it, that we all have sinned in Adam and Rom. 5
beside the originall sin have innumerable
auctual, ne cāan be saved, onles first we be
absolved & forgivēen, & that must needes be
whilest we be in this lyfe, for afterward
is no more redēemcion at all. To the glutton Luke. 15
was denyed one drop of water.

Wherefore necessary it is to know that there O6v
there be two jnudgement seates of God:
the one is of ryghtwysenes, the other of
mercy, grace, pytie, goodnes, love, sweetnes,
and lyberalitie: as Paule speaking Heb. 4
of this last fayth. Let us go boldly to the
trone and bench of gods grace, at the first
bench sitteth god, and Christ kepeth residence
at the second. Now as for the sinners,
if they wilbe saved they must go all
to the bench of mercy to aske and cal for
pitie, & not justice, for favour & straight
reconyng, bicause we have all bene unjuste,
and with all our ryghtwysnes, and
good workes be not able to withstande
Gods rightwisenesse, wherefore David
said. “Lord, none can be justified in thy Psal. 143
syght, if ther thou wylt see a reconing,”
&
in a nother place: “Lord, if thou wilt punish Psal. 129
our iniquities, who shalbe able to
abyde?”
and Job sayth, “I know that man Job. 9,
can not be justified if he stande face to
face afore God.”
And in another place, Job 15
“what thinge is man that he should be
cleane? the heavens be not cleane in his
sight.”
And Jeremy wryteth thus. “If thou Jeremy 2
wash thee with nytrus thou shalt nevertheles
be stained.”
And Esaye sayeth: “our ryght- O7r
rightwysenes be lyke the clothes of an
uncleane woman”
: & Salomon witnesseth Pro. 20
the same, saying, “who is he that can saye
‘my heart is cleane, I am pure and innocent
from sinne,’”
wherfore sayeth God by
Jerymy, “why wyl you strive with me in
iugemēent”
: As though he shuld say you are
fooles, if you think your self able to withstand
the justice of God, seeing your rightwisenes
is uncleane, & that somuch unclener,
as that not onely the works, but
also the very inwarde thoughts, affections,
and desires shalbe examined, and
tryed, therfore sayth God: “I wyll search, Sopho. 1
trye and prove, Hierusalem, with lanterns:”
it is most profitable therfore to go
to the bench of mercie, and saye with Psalm 15
David, “Lord, I shall come afore thee, not
with the multitude of my workes, but
of thy mercy,”
and in case thou be sommoned
and called to the trone of justice, appeale
to the other bench of mercy, for as
from the judgement of a lord subject to
the Emperour a man maye appeale to
Cesars judgement seate: so may a man
appeale from the bench of justice to the
trone of mercy as to the higher court. In asmuch O7v
asmuch as James writeth mercy excelleth James. 2
justice: it is sene that Ezechias, after
sentence was given upōon him at the bench 4. Reg. 2.
of justice, bycause he appealed to the other
Throne of mercy, had graunted to him,
that he shuld live fitene yeres lōonger. And
David by appealing to mercy caused the 2. Reg, 12
sentence to be revoked, which was givēen
that he shuld die. And what time that Mat. 8
servaunt, of whom the gospell speaketh,
sayd, “have patience with me and give
me respite”
: he appealed to mercy and
was herde. In like maner is it and hath
ben of all sinners that be saved.

Now must we do in the same wise, I
meane whēen we be cited to the court of justice
to rēender and yelde an accompt, then
must we appeale to mercy, and say: We
be dead through Christ to the law, and
therfore to justice also, which judge after Soaul 7
the lawe are we dead, then hath justice
no jurisdiction upon us at all, no though
it were the greatest sinner of the world:
say thou to God, “I am Christes, thou gavest
me to him, as Christ saith: ‘they wer
thyne, & thou hast given thēem to me.’
Moreover
Christ hath redemed me, therfore John. 17 am O8r
am I his for many caused, I wil therfore
stand to his judgement: thou hast given
him all power in heavēen and in earth as Math. 18
he himselfe sayth: ‘to me is givēen al power
in heaven & in earth,’
wherfore he may
do with me the thing that liketh him, &
as to him semeth good, he is my judge as
Christ him selfe sayth: ‘the father hath Exod. 19
given all judgement to the sonne,’
it is
therfore his dutie to judge me.”
But as in
another place he sayth he came not to
judge but to save the world, say therfore
to christ: “do thine office. save me, for thou
camest, and thy father did send thee for that
entent, I feele all redy thy voyce, & in my
hart thou saiest to me, that bycause I trust
in thee, thou wilt save me, alredy by thy
grace have I put in thee my confidence John. 12
and hope, and he, that beleveth in thee cāan
not be damned, save me therfore according
as thou art bounden by a covenaunt
made.”
And albeyt thy conscience accused
thee, and al the devels beside layed to thy
charge, yea though judgement were givēen
agaynst thee: yet so long as thou art in
this present life, it is alway lawfull to
appeale to the mercy of God.

And O8v

And if it were so, that by force thou
shuld be drawen to the court of justice,
crye out with Isay, and say to Christ: “O Esal. 38
Lord I suffer violence, make answere
for me, help me, forsake me not. I chose
and will have thee for my attorney and
speeche māan: not bycause thou shuldest defend
my just accōomptes & true rekenings,
for I have none such, but to thēentent thou
shuldest take my sinnes for thyne, & reward
me with thine innocencie, holynes,
and rightwisenes. Thou hast already satisfied
for me on the crosse and appointed
me by adopciōon to be the sonne of god, wher
fore I can not be damned, no not one
shalbe found that dare accuse me, being Rom. 8
one of goddes elected.”

Moreover if thou be minded and willing
to appeare without daunger at the
bench of goddes rightwisnes, dispoyle
first thy selfe of the olde Adam, & apparell
thee with Christ (as Paule exhorteth Colos. 3
us,) & thou shalbe safe. For in somuch as
thou hast embraced him for thyne owne,
thou cāanst not be dāamned al though thou haddest
committed all the sinnes of the world.
As a woman great with childe cāan not be Apoc. 3 punished no P1r
punished, no more can thou, if thou have
Christ in thy hart, or rather (As Christ
sayth) he that beleveth in the sonne is not John. 3
judged he is so assured of his salvacion,
that there nedeth no examinacion to be
had of him, he is one of Christes mēembres.
and hath his spirite, wherfore he can no
more be damned then Christ, bicause he
is knitte to him by lively faith.

If it be so that God wold make there
with thee a rekening, say to hym how
thou hast made it with Christ, for as he
put on Christ all our iniquities & sinnes
(as Esay & with great love accepted Esa, 73
them for his owne, and bound him self
to make satisfaction for them. Wherfore
thou shalt say, “Lorde if thou hast
any reconing or matter against mee,
make it with Christ he knoweth well
how to answer and can declare that he
hath satisfied for them.”

In case be that any must be dāamned for
the sinnes I have done, it is Christ, that
must be damned, and not I good Lorde,
for albeyt I am he that committed thēem,
neverthelesse Christ bounde him selfe to
satisfie for them, and that by consent and P.j. good P1v
good will of his father, wherfore who
soever beleveth lively in Christ, is all
together safe and sure. Beside this if god
would needs make the audite & accompte
with us, & would say: “I am not content
with Christes satisfaction for you, I wil
that your selfes make recompence for
that you have offended”
(which is a thing
impossible ()alredy frōom the beginning he
is contented, & hath accepted that divine
sacrifice of the undefiled lambe Christ
Jesus
, which died on the crosse to be obedient
to his father (as Paul hath writen,) Phil, 2
already is the rightwisenes of God satisfied
by Christ more thēen sufficient, we be
already reconsiled with god, and made his
sonnes, and so consequently his heyres,
he hath alredy gevēen us paradise, and whēen Rom, 11
God hath onse given a gifte, it never repenteth
him: wherfore the gift can not be
called agayne bireason god is not chaungeable,
I neverthelesse although (as I
sayd) he shuld say: “I will that thou thy
selfe satisfie.”
Answere him on this wise:
“lord if I wer as dere beloved as thee, as
is Christ, and had done and suffered lovingly
for thy honour, all that Christ did and P2r
and suffered, in this case woldest thou
not holde thy selfe sufficiently satisfied
for me”
: in case he graunted therto, thou
shuld make him this answer, “thēen is it alredy
done, for in that Christ suffered I
my selfe suffered, by reason I am changed
into Christ,”
yea the true christians,
that have Christ in theyr harts (as Paul Rom. 2
sayth, let Christ dwell in our harts)
may pittiously lamēent and complayne to
of god, and say to him: “thou hast punished
us more bitterly thēen we have deserved,
considering that we offended and not
Christ, reason would thou shuld have
punished us, our will, and oure lyfe and
soule, and not that innocent and undefiled
lambe Jesus Christ, and thou hast
punished Christ, which is the life of my
soule, the heart of my heart, the spirite
of my spirite”
(as David sayth) “God my Psal, 73
fleshe and my heart, God of my heart,
thou shuldest, if my death had not beene
inough for my sinnes, turned me into
nothing, and letten alone that innocente,
and juste Christe more deare
and intier to me then myne owne soule,
wherfore I feele more that, that he P.ij. suffered P2v
suffered for me, then I shuld have felte,
if I had suffered all the torment possible
on myne owne body, but well wist thou,
that I could not by reason of my frailty,
abyde and suffer all that I had deserved
for my sinnes, & therfore thou chose
that myghty and strong Christ to suffer
for thēem in my stead, and moreover hast
set him in my heart to thentent that I
shuld not onely feele that he suffered, but
also that he might geve me strength to
be able to suffer.”

Thou mayst also say: “Lord albeit I
have sinned, I am regenerate and borne
agayne by Christ, I am no more the māan
that sinned, but I am a new creature: Gal, 2
wherfore thou cāanst not justly ponish me,
bycause that spirite of myne, that sinned,
is dead, and Christ lyveth in me. I live
no longer my selfe, but Christ in me, ponish,
kille, and turne to nought that spirit
of mine, that wil of mine, spoile from me
that olde Adam, that sensualite, and all
one to two wordsflawed-reproduction me hath sinned: and ponishe not
one to two wordsflawed-reproduction then by the new spirite, that I re-
two thirds of the lineflawed-reproduction most innocent
three fourths of the lineflawed-reproductionast geven catchwordflawed-reproduction P3r
me Christ with al his divine treasures Rom. 8
and graces, and that to be more surely
mine, thēen I am my self, and in so much
as he is myne entier I am able to satisfi
for all my dettes.”

What fearest thou thēen O sinful soule,
seest thou not that, as that blood of Abel cried Heb, 2
for vengance, so this blood of Christ callith
for mercy and he can not but must
needes be herd, one abisse calleth on another Psal, 41
I meane the bothomeles abisse of
my sinnes hath neede of the abisse of Christes
passion, & the abisse of Christes passion
calleth to the abisse of the mercy of
God, say therfore to Christ. “O lord make Psal. 10
thy mercy marveylous and wonderfull,
thou savest thēem that trust in thee”
: cry, save
me for thy mercy sake”
: take and embrace
thyne the rightwisnes of Christ, & then
can I be contented thou say. Judge me Psal, 7
Lord according to my rightwisnes.”
Let
every māan therfore go to the court of the
mercy of God, and if we be called to the
barre of justice, let us apeale all wayes
to mercy, & see that never a man appeare
before the throne of justice except fyrst
he be clothed wyth Christ through faith P.iij. and P3v
and then he may be presented boldely, as
he that is armed with innocencie and
truth may be presented afore any place
of judgement. And God shall accept thēem
for rightwise. To whom be all honour
and glory through Jesu Christ our Lord
Amen.

By what meane to come to
heavēen. The xxiiij. Sermon.

Experience proveth that every
creature hath naturally
a desire & appetyte
to resorte to it owne proper
place, and mansion,zero to three charactersflawed-reproduction
namely man, bycause he
is th emost sovereyne creature of all other
and for so much as our native cuntrie
is not here upon the earth, but in Hebre. 15 Colo, 1
heaven is our place of reste (considering
that all men have this desier to goo to
heaven) I take it to bee expedient to
weygh and ponder how we may go
thither.

one third of lineflawed-reproductionevēen us Christ for on one one line of text plus catchwordflawed-reproduction P4r
and Guyde: wherfore whoso is willing
to walke thither I meane to heavēen, must
go the same path, that he hath gone and
troden before us, by cause he knoweth
the way most perfectly, and tawght it to
us without any gile as wel by hys exemples,
as by his woords, therfore he that
entendith, to go to heaven must folow
him. And first as he being in the shape
and fourme of God was not proude, nor
an arrogant usurper, nor ascribed to him
self that he might conveniently have
done: but contrariwise, was lowly humble,
of no reputacion, and toke upon hym
the shape of a servant, or rather of a sinner, Phil, 2
and God layed on him all our wickednes,
ye and most lovingly admited Esal. 53
and allowed thēem for his owne, as though
he had committed them himselfe.

Now in like maner, a Christen man
being alredy regenerate and borne agayne
by Christ, and graffed into him
by a living fayth, cometh downe from
heven, that is from his owne pryde, and
false excellency, for (as Christ saith) John. 3
no man goeth up into heven, but he
one wordflawed-reproduction commeth donne, that is the sonne P.iiij. of man P4v
of man and his members, wherfore by
and by as a Christen man hath a lively
light, tast and feling of Christ, & his great
benefit he is humble, counteth him self
of not value & nothing in his reputacion:
for when he seeth by divine influence, the
meekenes of Christ, his liberalite pacience,
love, goodnes, innocensy, with other of
his vertues, he is of force constrayned to
feele his owne pride, unkindnes, unpacientnes,
wickednes, ungodlines, & his
other iniquities. And as God put upon
Christ al our sinnes, & he with most tender
love receyved thēem: so will this Christen
man ascribe to himselfe al the offences
of the world: by reason that he perceivith,
that if God had withdrawēen from
him his grace & had not born him up, but
ministrid to him occasiōon and oportunity
to offend, ther hadde not bene a sinne in
al the world but he had done it, wherfore
he wil attribut to him selfe all, as though
he hadde committed thēem in deede, so tha t
all beyt in Christ and by Christ he pe-
four to seven charactersflawed-reproduction th him selfe innocent and safe, nozero to two charactersflawed-reproduction
one fifth of lineflawed-reproductionnding of him selfe he taketh ione characterflawed-reproduction
one third of lineflawed-reproductiondamned and greatist sin- catchwordflawed-reproduction P5r
ner of all the world, and is forced to say
that (which Paule speake long a goe)
“Christ came into the world to save sinners, 1. Tim. 1
wherof I am one of the chiefe.”

The second actt of Christ was, that,
after he was thus humbled, clothed with
our frayle nature, borne, and shewed
forthe to the world, he lived all to gether
for his neyghbour, and sought onely the
glory of hys father, and salvacion of his
brethern, without any regard or respect
to himselfe, (and cause why is) for that
he was so full of love, grace, favour, Jhn. 1.
truth, godlines, and all light, vertue, and
perfection, wherfore considering he had
no neede to enrich himself, he lived holy
to the welth and benefite of others, as
Paule saith: Christ hath not pleased him Collo. 1 Rom. 15
selfe he was inflamed in such wise with
a fervent desire to save the world, for
the glory of his father, that he being
cleane swalowed up in god, had no mind
nor consideracion of him selfe. Nowe in
semblable sorte that true Christen man,
that seeth himselfe the sonne and heyre
of God, as Lord of al studieth, not to live
to his own use, but is wholy bent to the P.v. bene- P5v
benefiting of his brothernne for Gods
glory, and being as it wer chaunged into
theyr nature, feeleth all theyr good and
eyvll, as Paul dyd.

Next ensueth the thyrd acte, that lyke
as the worlde persecuted Christe, so it
pursue him, and that bicause in saving
his neyghbour and seeking the glory of
God, he avaunceth and sette forth the
grace, the Gospell, and the great mercy
of God: thrusting downe, submitting,
throwing downe to the ground, and making
nothing of man: and bicause the
worlde repyneth at thys, therefore immediatly
foloweth persecucyon, in lyke
case therfore as the whole lyfe of Christ
was one continuall persecucion, bicause
it was godly, so chaunceth fytely and agreably
to a trwe Christien, that magnyfieth
the great benefit, which we have
received by Christ. Which thing is
open and manifest in sundry places of
the Acted of the Apostles, for immedy- Act. 41 characterflawed-reproduction5. 9
two thirds of lineflawed-reproductione preached the
two thirds of lineflawed-reproductioned and so the
two to three lines plus catchwordflawed-reproduction P6r
whence, he would not come downe, although
in scorne it was sayed to him,
that if he wer the sonne of God, he shuld
come downe of the crosse, and they wold Math. 27
beleve him: but bicause he was the sonne
God, he would not come downe but
abyde there, and with his owne death
make perfect our salvacion: in like maner
also a Christen man must be transformed
and chaunged into Chryst crucyfied,
so that with Paul he may saye “I Gala. 3
am crucyfied with Christ, in such wyse
also knit to him on the Crosse, that nothing
is able to parte me from the love
of God, which is in Christ Jesus.”
Rom, 8

Furthermore as Christ dyed on the
crosse, so a Christen man that liveth in
Christ, dyeth to the world in such sorte,
that he passith not of riches, honour, dignitie,
kynred, frendes, worldly pleasures,
or prosperitie, considering that he
seeth by faith that he is safe, happy, and
sonne and heyre of God, yea even as
Christ was buryed, so is he, so that the
world counteth him not only for a thing Rom. 6 Gala, 3
dead, but rottēen, stinking & lothsome, wher
fore he must say with Paul, “the world is crucyfied P6v
crucyfied to me, and I to the world. He
besyde this must ryse with Christe in
newnes of lyfe, lyving after a nother
maner then he dyd before that he was Rom. 6
regenerate by Christ, bicause he is become
spiritual he liveth to the glori of god.”

And thus fynally with Christ he ascendeth
into heaven standinge, as touching Collo. 3
his thoughts affections, & desires,
above in his celestiall cuntrey, so that he
saye with Paule, our conversacyon is in
heaven, where he enjoyeth and taketh Philip. 3,
pleasure and comfort in God. To whom
be alwayes all honour & glory, through
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

How God hath satisfyed for our
sinnes, and hath purchased Paradise
for us.
The .25. Sermon.

God by his absolute and
free power might have sayed
us without any satisfaction
at all: In as much
as the justice of God is
contented and pleased of all that lyk-
half of lineflawed-reproduction neverthelesse he hath ap- P7r
appoynted frōom everlasting by his divine
mynde and wisefome, never to save sinner,
oneles first he were fully satisfied,
and sethen he perceyved that we could
not doe it our selves. he was minded to
sende into the worlde his sonne to make
for us satisfaction, and layed on him the
iniquities of us all, as Esaye wrote. And
he right lovingly, although he were a very
innocent, toke them for his owne, and Esaye 53
was contented to satisfie for our offences,
to suffer that we had deserved, & dye
upon the crosse, according to his fathers
wyll, as Paul wryteth, he toke our infirmities
for his owne, and he hath borne
our iniquities and miseries, by reason
he came into the world as though he had
ben an offender, he toke a symilitude of
sinne to serve our turne on the behalfe of
our sinnes, and as though we had beene Math 24
most innocent, and he committed all the
sinned on his wil was to go alone to the
death, and therfore sayed to his disciples
in the garden: stand ther in peace, rest, & Esay. 43one odd character, possible numerical, possibly punctuationalobscured
without care, & suffer me alone to enter
into the battaile, and abide on my bones
that you have deserved,”
and meeting the multitude P7v
multitude he sayd to thēem: “whoōom seeke you?”
they answered, Jesus of Nazareth” as John. 13
though they shuld have sayd, “we seeke for
him, which hath upōon him al the sins of the
world.”
And Christ made answere, “I am
he, I have takēen on me al the sinnes, love
hath layde thēem on my shulders, therfore if
you seke for me as a māan in whōom be al the
sinnes let my disciples & my elected passe
as innocēentes, ease, satisfie reveng, and do
your worst to me, which am cōontented to
suffer for all one cause”
also, wherfore
christ being accused at the judgemēent seate
of Jerusalem, made no answere was to
shew that they had against him al actiōons, in
somuch as he had embraced for his own
al our sinnes. It pleased him also to be
crowned with thornes, as king of al our
miseries, & set betwen tow thefes as the
starkest errand thefe of al, likewise was
he cōontented to be strikēen & beaten for our
sins, as (Esay sayd) he was smitēen for our
infirmities & brosed for our iniquities, & Esai. 53
offēences: god hath chastised & beatēen him for
the sinnes of his people & by his wounds,
and passions we be made hole, we payed
that he owed not, as David sayd “I have Psal. 68 payed P8r
payed those things that I looke not,”
and
Esay also did say in the person of Christ,
“you have but me to trouble for your iniquities,” Esay. 43
he was contented that uppōon him
should come al those infamies, sclanders,
and rebukes, which we have deserved
for our sinnes, which thing David signified
in spirite in the parsone of Christ Psal, 68
where he sayd, “the rebukes, & reproches,
wherwith they slandered thee, fel all upōon
me,”
yea and those curses also, that were
due to us fell upon him, (as Paule saith) Gal, 3
he hath redemed us from the cursie, in
that he became a curst for us, and like a
godly shepherd having on his backe the
lost shepe (for he hath his kingdome uppōon Esay. 6
his shulders) hath he borne our sinnes
on the crosse, (as Peter sayeth) he hath
borne our sins in his body uppon the crosse 1. Pet. 3
and tree, upon it as it had bene an altar,
to condemne our sinnes, with the sinne
that was imputed to him, was he offered
as a sacrifise to be burned in the
fier and flamme of Gods love, and to
the Corinthians Paule writteth, “he 2. Cor 5
that knewe no sinne was made sinne
for us,”
it was Gods will and minde, that P8v
that he whiche was most innocent should
be done on the crosse as though he wer e
not onely a sinner but even sin it selfe,
and thus (as Daniel prophesied was inone to two charactersflawed-reproduction
quite consumed) and in one day god toke
it out of the world, according to the profesye
of Zachary, wherfore saint John
saith he appeared to take away our sinnes, Zachar. 5 John. 3
& saint John Baptist saith of Christ
that he is the lambe of God that taketh
away the sinnes of the world. Therefore
when Christ suffered most lovingly all
that which we have deserved, he satisfied
for us, and purged us frōom our sinnes, Heb. 1.
he after the maner of the prodigal sonne
of anexceding love, that he bare to the
sowle, when he hadde geven his divine
treasures of grace to the very open sinners
and harlotes and had taken to him
self our sinnes, as if he had done thēem him
selfe, he made prayer to his father that
he wold pardon them to him and to him
he pardoned thēem, for we wer not worthy:
neither would he yeld up his spirite tell
first he had bowed doune his head that is one to two lines plus catchwordflawed-reproduction Q1r
to Christ therfore were our sinnes ascribed
so that justly he mone to two charactersdamagedryted that death
for his sinnes, not by cauone to two charactersdamaged he committed
thēem, but bycause he admited them for his
owne and so hath he satisfied for them,
not only sufficiently, but also more then
was requisite, for to God is one teare of
Christ more pleasant, then all the sinnes
of the world displeasant, and that life
and death of his wer more to the honour
of God, then our life was to his dishonour,
yea he had not onely satisfied for
our sinnes, but hath purchaced for us
life everlasting.

But happly wilt thou say, “then neede
I to take no paynes nor traveyll to tsatisfie
for my sins, nor to deserve paradise,
I may take mine ease, or do what evill
that liketh me geving me to pleasur, and
good cheere, for if it be as thou saiest, I
cannot but be saved.”
I answere thus,
first I say the truth it is thou oughtest
not to labour thy selfe for the entente to
satisfie for thy sinnes nor yet to deserve
paradise: for the is onely Christes office,
nor thou canste have any such entent
without doing great injury and wrong Q.j. to Q1v
to God, but where as thou sayest, that
thou wouldst live idlye or doo evill, after
that Christ hath now delivered thee from
all evill, and purchased thee the greatest
felicitie: I make the answere on this
wise. If case were that one were led to
the gallowes for his ribaldry and noughtines,
and his Lord our Maister of mere
favour and good will shuld deliver him,
and counte him for his sonne, and yet
would say, “my Lord or Maister hath delivered
me from all evill, and taken me
for his sonne and heyre, therefore will I
goe my way and be idle, and in folowing
myne owne lustes, and will do in him
wrong”
: how thinke you, in this case be
not these wicked wordes? even the like
sayest thou Christ hath delivered me frōom
hell, and made me the sonne of God, and
heyre of heven, wherfore I will stand
like an ydle parsone, or rather do more
evill, Christ certes died not for thee, nor
satisfied for thy dettes, nor yet merited
for thee paradise to thentēent thou shuldest
stand ydle, commit sinne, and become a
starke ribalde, but that thou, seeing his
greate love, & how greatly sinne displeasedsed Q2r
him, seeing he was willing to dye
bycause to take them out of the world,
shuld no more doo sinne but honour him,
love him, thanck him, put thy trust in
him, and worke vertuose & good workes
plentiously, not as a bonde servant to
escape hell, sithen Christ hath delivered
thee, ne ye to get Paradise the which
Christ hath purchased for thee, but as a
naturall sonne for the glorie of God,
moved therto by mocion of fayth, love,
and spirite, not by mannes wit, sensualitie,
or thy behofe or commoditie.
Moreover either thou belevest that Christ
hath satisfied for thee or not, if thou beleve
not, that he hath delivered thee from
hell and gotten the Paradise, if thou be
wise, thou wilt serche to helpe thy selfe,
and so wilt thou not be ydle, muchlesse
wilt thou commit sinnes: but rather enfore
thy selfe to make satisfication for
thy selfe and to deserve Paradise, which
is a thing impossible, but if thou beleve
lively, that he had so loved thee, that
to save thee, he dyed on the crosse, thou
shuldest be cōonstrayned to love him agayn,
& to do for his glory marvelouse workes plen- Q2v
plentously and redyly to beleve that we
are saved by Christ, maketh not us negligente
and naughtie, but fervent and
holye.

Let us therfore render thankes to
our Lorde God, seeing he hath with so
greate love saved us by so highe, riche, happy, and gloriouse meane. To
whome be alwaye all honour,
laude and glory, through
Jesu Christ our
Lord.

Amen.

Finis.

Imprinted adt London by John
Day
, dwelling over Aldersgate
beneath sainct Martins.